Slaying the Dreamer
by Shenya
Summary: [YAOI] ch26 now up! 'Everything was finally coming together, everything was finally coming to an end' (Ishtar) A story about certain vampires and their struggles in the present world... Blood and white roses, nothing will ever be the same again...
1. Awakening

(So. Slaying the Dreamer got kicked out of the site. I'm reposting it bit by bit. Would you be kind and leave a review if you liked the fic? I miss my 459 reviews. Why? Shouldn't that be obvious. Every one of them gave me a little bit of inspiration. But people please, read the warnings. That's pretty much all I have to say on that matter.)  
  
DISCLAIMER: Sooo boooring... Fine, I don't own Yugioh. *mumbles angrily to herself* Stupid disclaimers, taking away all the fun.  
  
So, what's up everyone? *looks around hopefully* Anyone interested in reading another vampire fic? And if anyone of you reads 'Birth of Phoenix', I should say I'm very sorry for the delay. A writer's block attacked me...  
  
So, as mentioned before it's about vampires. Yami and Yugi to be exact, so be warned, this is YAOI! (YS: as if you would write anything else) About the plot... Well, you know the drill, Yami is a vampire and meets Yugi. Could I ask you not to leave yet and give my story a chance? It is in Yami POV, so no need to come complaining you didn't know who it was before way into the story. *shakes her head*  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 1: Awakening  
  
How long had it been since I last time went out and looked upon the beauty of the night? I couldn't remember. Centuries, perhaps? Very possible. It was long ago that I had decided never to drink from a mortal again. I couldn't even recall what had made me do that decision. Or when I had done it.  
  
All I knew was that I had laid here, right in this coffin, for what seemed like an eternity. Most of the time I had slept, blessedly free of dreams. Sometimes, though, I would wake up, sweating from fear, old memories haunting me. That always passed quickly, and I couldn't remember anymore. Then I would fall to sweet oblivion again. And I was thankful.  
  
But now it was different. No frightening dreams bothering my mind, just darkness all around me. I cocked my head, listening to the sound of silence. It was beautiful. But not so silent.  
  
I could hear cars speeding somewhere in the distance, their wheels scraping on the rough ground. I could hear human speech, something I didn't have any desire to listen more closely. Too tempting. I was already ravenous. I needed blood too much.  
  
Maybe I should go outside and see if I could find some small mammals to drink from. Then I could easily return to my silent grave. Well, not very silent anymore, but the previous sounded better. More fitting for a corpse rising out of the grave.  
  
I seemed to still have my humor intact... That was a good thing. I didn't know how much the world had changed, and I could faintly recall someone telling me how dangerous it was to suddenly just burst to a whole new era. I was confident I could survive anything with a touch of humor.  
  
I slowly raised my hand. It was a strange sensation to suddenly move. The little blood I had left in my body surged with my nonexistent heartbeat from the strain my limbs weren't used to anymore. I stopped, savoring the small feel of pain.  
  
It was good to feel alive after so long.  
  
I touched the lid, felt the smooth surface of marble under the tips of my fingers. Straining my muscles, I lifted the heavy piece of stone. I was sure I wouldn't have to dig through soil, as this coffin was situated in a tomb. This was a good thing, seeing how I couldn't have gotten out in my weakened state otherwise.  
  
After a small moment of feeling insufficient in strength, the lid fell to the floor beside the cold box of stone. I laid there, gasping the fresh air that suddenly invaded my senses. It was so different than the air inside my safe resting place, that I had the urge to go back to sleep.  
  
Quickly discarding that crazy idea, I sat up. Despite the things going through my mind, I had no desire to go back now. My curiosity had awakened, and it wouldn't let me lie still until I would have explored this new world thoroughly.  
  
The tomb had little light, but enough for me to see the state of the skin on my hands. Shrivelled, dull, pale. Not good. I would need many liters of blood until I could walk in the cities of humans unnoticed. That much blood would be hard to find, with all the people walking around. They always managed to scare away nearly all wildlife.  
  
Shaking with sudden bloodlust I stood up and smelled the air. Bats. They would be enough for starters.  
  
Walking in the dim light, which would not be enough for a mortal to see, I tried to better locate the little creatures. Listening to small sounds, I searched a corner not far from my resting place. Keen as ever, my acute senses had never let me down. Jumping with little effort to the ceiling, I grabbed the first one. The others were frightened, of course, and started flying around wildly. No matter, I could find them again.  
  
I stood on my shaky legs, and raised the small animal to my mouth. Its heart was beating fast, and a smell of blood came from its tiny body.  
  
//Little darling, don't be afraid// I mentally projected to the creature, as my fangs sank to the furry back of my victim.  
  
Blood filled my mouth. Sweet, living blood I hadn't realized I wanted so badly. All too soon it was over, leaving me hungrier than before.  
  
After hunting down about a dozen or so of those fascinating creatures plus a few unfortunate rats, I started feeling like I could go out a little bit, to marvel at the inventions of humankind. They never ceased to amaze me with all the things they made to make their lives better.  
  
So, having determined I would leave the safety of my ageless tomb, I now turned my attention to my appearance. Seeing my clothes were rotting on me, I hesitantly decided to knock some human unconscious and take his clothes. It wasn't the same as drinking of him, after all.  
  
As I was heading for the door to outer world, I remembered something without which I would absolutely refuse to leave. Dashing to the coffin I had slept in, I searched its insides. There. My precious Puzzle was lying on the topmost left corner. I couldn't exactly recall why it was so important, but I knew I could never leave it behind. Relieved, I put the chain around my neck.  
  
I glanced to the lid, lying right there on the floor where it had dropped. It would be best not to leave so obvious hints of someone having been here to humans. I lifted the heavy slab of stone to its place, this time with no difficulty at all seeing how I had drank enough blood for that.  
  
Dusting my hands, happy that I came to think of such a detail, I continued to the door. It wasn't hard to get it open. The first view of the night- time sky left me in awe. How could I ever have decided to leave such beauty behind? Dazed, I sat next to the opening to the tomb. Rosebushes lined the path to this place, I could smell their alluring fragrance.  
  
A waning moon shone in the sky, stars shedding their dimmer glory sprinkled all around it captured my gaze. So distant, so beautiful, so lonely. Then I noticed something. The voices of cars and other things weren't coming from very far away. In fact, they were very near.  
  
Peeking over the nearest rosebush, my eyes widened at the sight. I had had no idea the city was so close! And it was so different from the human cities of the time I went asleep in . . . There were lots of lights in the streets, the cars driving by were of a different design. And the buildings, they reached towards the skies!  
  
"Oh, don't be silly, Yugi. The graveyard's completely safe."  
  
"I know it should be, Jou-kun. But I still have a bad feeling about this. Something doesn't feel quite the way it should be."  
  
Humans.  
  
Drawing backwards to the shadows, I searched for the owners of those voices. Such sweet human voices.  
  
"Guys, hurry up! I don't want to spend here the rest of the night."  
  
A feminine voice.  
  
"We're coming Anzu."  
  
They were definitely coming nearer. Looking at the direction they were coming from, I tried to draw further to the shadows. Their blood was calling to me, even from this distance. And then the first one of them walked into my view.  
  
Short, but his hair . . . I had hair like that, didn't I? I stared at the boy. So many similarities between us. But there were little differences too. He had less blonde hair than I did, and his eyes were shaped differently, although nearly the same color. It wasn't until then that I noticed the most intriguing detail.  
  
An exact copy on my Puzzle was hanging from his neck. What did this mean? My eyes wide, my instincts sharpened with all that blood I sorely needed around, I glanced at the girl and the boy that came into my view shortly after the first. The boy had messy looking blond hair, and he was wearing a green jacket and some kind of blue trousers of some stiff material. The girl had a small red shirt and a short little skirt. What had humans done while I was sleeping, for this certainly wasn't the way people had dressed before...  
  
But it did look kind of good. I could come to love this new time.  
  
All too soon the first humans I had seen in so many years disappeared from my view. Relieved that I wasn't noticed, I leaned against the cold wall of the tomb. Then I heard something.  
  
Someone was obviously up to no good, or then hiding from his enemies, because he tried to keep as silent as possible. Yes, I could tell it was a he, females smell a bit different. I walked silently to the end of the short rose-lined path, and waited.  
  
Yes, and of the right size too. I hadn't forgotten that I needed clothes, and this individual seemed ideal for taking clothes from. He was carrying a knife in his hand, and I immediately thought of the three young people that had walked by previously. They would be in trouble if I didn't do anything about this black-clad man.  
  
He was going to hurt the first three people I had seen after my long sleep? No way! And I needed the clothes... When he came close enough, I smoothly glided behind him and hit his head. No trouble there, the jerk went down easy.  
  
Just to ensure nobody was going to interrupt, I dragged him farther down the path and settled down to examine my new clothes. The sleeveless shirt was black, no surprise there. The trousers were black too, and made of . . . leather? Must be, nothing else feels quite the same way.  
  
Shrugging off the weird excited feeling, I took the clothes and put them on.  
  
Now I was ready for a night in town, to see what changes exactly had these mortals made. So many new things to learn, so many old things to discard. I grinned.  
  
Beware, world, for here I come!  
  
---  
  
AN: Whooo! The first chapter is actually finished. If I get enough reviews I might even continue... It all depends on you! As in all of you who read this fic! If I get enough reviews saying I should continue, I will, otherwise I don't bother, considering I have much better things to do than waste my time writing a fic no one reads...  
  
And if you have any scenes you wish to read, just write it to me and I'll see if it fits the storyline. And rating might change, if I actually do continue. So REVIEW! 


	2. Meet the World

DISCLAIMER: same as ch. 1... I have no desire to write it anymore.  
  
O.o I actually got 11 reviews?! *faints from the shock*  
  
(Yami Shenya: *walks up to her hikari and nudges her with a foot* She's so easily shocked... But she needs to write the next chapter. *takes a cd player and puts on 'Slaying the Dreamer' in a VERY loud volume*)  
  
I'm up, I'm up! Sheesh... *looks at the readers* you didn't know it was originally a song, did ya? It's by Nightwish, and I don't own the song either -_- Well, this fic was going to be a oneshot songfic, but then it grew on me... After four pages in which I had only one line of lyrics I gave up. Perhaps I'll add the lyrics in the end of the last chapter *thinks*  
  
Oh well, time to thank all my wonderful reviewers! Sharon (good that you liked it so much!), Synchronized Love (here you go! I hope I managed to keep it interesting. And you put me on your favorites list? Oooh! ^___^), Ali (I wasn't exactly going to make it so descriptive, but it seems to work that way very well ^.^), Yami Tsuki Tenshi (I can't believe you have managed to avoid vampire fics...), Wolfchanger (fluffiness coming up in ch 3. Sorry, couldn't fit it in earlier!), firedraygon97 (I liked that part myself), holo (*squeals* I love vampire fics too!), Seventh Sage (I also hope this is good...), Neko Oni (I truly wish you think so after reading this chapter, too), Ash Nite (my latest reviewer! thank you!) and someone with no name (right... I intend to continue soon!) Thank you to all!!!  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 2: Meet the World  
  
Beware, world, for here I come!  
  
Oh, that was so dramatic. Like I was going to conquer them or something. Not like anyone heard it anyway, seeing how I only thought it.  
  
I carefully started to walk in the direction the three young humans had gone. I was curious about the puzzle the shortest one of them was carrying, and I would in no way object to meeting this person that looked so much like me.  
  
Coming to the edge of the cemetery, I stopped beneath an oak tree. So much noise, it took a while to actually hear it. The light was blinding, I could feel the pupils in my eyes become slit like a cat's. This was one problem I didn't com to think of... In so much light my eyes would look different that a mortal's, the slit pupils and a slight crimson tint in my otherwise violet eyes revealing me to be something else.  
  
I thought on this problem, interestedly looking at the humans walking back and forth on the amazingly smooth roads of this new kind of city. Young and old, short and tall, men and women, all the different groups were displayed right before me. And their clothes... How could people ever dress like they used to back when I was last awake, when this was so much more fun?  
  
I could see women dressed in those short skirts the girl from earlier was wearing, women in longer skirts, and even women wearing trousers... So much more fascinating than the eternal long dresses women used to wear. The men were not far behind, no more stiff-looking fashion of the upper class of the worse selections of the lower. No, these men made use of anything and everything, basking in the diversity of style and fabric.  
  
I couldn't wait to get to know how all this came to be. And what year was this? I still didn't know...  
  
Then I noticed a middle-aged man coming towards me, reeking of alcohol. His walking was uneven, he struggled from one side of the street to the other. What interested me of him was the thing on his face. I walked up to him and took them.  
  
"Hey man, whaddya doing with my shades? Give 'em back!"  
  
Shades . . . These would certainly help me with my little problem with my eyes. I tried them on. They fit just fine, what a lucky man - vampire - I was to get all this from those few people I had met face-to-face in this short time. Well, more like head-to-face with the last one, but I wouldn't stick to the details now.  
  
Not giving the drunkard one more glance I went to join the mass of people milling on the streets. Oh so tempting... Perhaps I hadn't drunk enough after all, for all these human bodies so close to me made me crave for fresh blood. Determined to stay in my age-old decision, I wandered down the street, looking at the brightly lighted windows of what must be shops.  
  
And what shops... With just one look I could see two jewelry shops, three selling cosmetics and no less than six selling clothes! People of this time must be rich... That reminded me of my own situation. Of course I had some savings in safe places, but I wouldn't know if they were still there. I had merely recently started moving my fortune to banks, and I didn't know if they still had them. No matter. I couldn't remember which banks, and how to access them.  
  
If I needed something, I could steal from some unfortunate mortal getting in my way, but if I was going to stay here for a very long time I would have to start looking for my hidden treasures. It would have more... glamour. Not to mention I didn't want to be chased down by the police.  
  
I wonder if they still have vampire-hunters here? That would be such a shame. I hated killing people, and I would have to kill anyone coming to hunt me... It wouldn't do to have a few of those annoying pests trailing my every move.  
  
Walking around a corner, I saw that sweet, short boy from earlier. Yugi was his name? He was sitting on a table with those friends of his, drinking something. That place seemed to be an outer part of some bar. I wonder... My gaze slid past all the tables. No room there, it seemed like every table was taken. But theirs had free chairs...  
  
Never being one to think for too long before acting, I noticed a mortal stuffing what seemed like money to her purse. Immediately I walked up to her.  
  
"Oh, there you are. I see you brought the money. I'm so grateful."  
  
My voice sounded odd after so many years of silence. As I was marveling on it, she raised her head, looking at me weirdly. No time to dawdle on such details...  
  
//Nothing's wrong, dear. You just met an old friend, who you promised to lend some money to. Be calm.//  
  
She got a bit vacant look.  
  
"Hi! I was already expecting you. Here you go!"  
  
She held out a handful of paper money and some coins. I looked at them.  
  
"I seem to have forgotten my wallet... Could I anyhow ask you to..?"  
  
"Of course. You know me, nothing I wouldn't do for you!"  
  
She took out some papers from the wallet, I was quick enough to see how some of them had her picture and they were all full of writing. Then she put the money in and gave it to me.  
  
"Here you go!"  
  
"Thank you! I knew I could count on you. I would have been in big trouble if I hadn't gotten this money somewhere."  
  
"Don't mention it. See you!"  
  
"Yes, we should go have lunch some time. I'll pay..."  
  
She laughed. "You're always such a gentleman."  
  
Then she turned and left, glancing back and waving her hand. I waved back. So easy to fool her. Then again, few were the mortals who could resist my vampiric abilities. I stuffed the wallet to a pocket in the back of my pants and walked to the bar my little prey was sitting in.  
  
Looking discreetly around, I noticed people walking in and coming back out with drinks in their hands. Living up to my image, I went inside to buy something. The interior was dim, at least. And smelled of cigarettes. Looking at the pictures of the colorful bottles, I noticed one with a bat on the side. How fitting, I grinned. And the stuff was red too, at least one flavor of it.  
  
I ordered one of those, and after struggling a bit with this strange kind of money, I managed to give the bartender the right amount. So much writing on the sides of the bottle... Deciding to ignore it - I wasn't going to drink it anyway - I walked back out, having assured myself that there were no vacant tables in the inside, either.  
  
There he was again, my little mystery. Looking so happy with those friends of his I almost felt sorry for him. I navigated among the people in different stages of drunkenness, heading for Yugi's table.  
  
"May I sit here? This place seems kind of full..."  
  
Okay, that wasn't a very good opening. But no use crying over it, done was done. At least it got his attention, and he looked surprised to see a near- copy of himself. But not scared or anything, although that male friend of his looked at me in a bad way...  
  
"Sure! Just grab a chair!"  
  
So cheerful... I wondered what I looked like to him. I should have drunk more blood, as my skin would be of a more natural color then. Sometimes I really was too impulsive.  
  
As the blond friend of Yugi's opened his mouth to say something, I looked at him sharply from behind my shaded glasses. No way I would let him ruin my little chat with this copy of me.  
  
//No need to be rude, I'm just going to talk. Be quiet.//  
  
That took care of the bigmouthed jerk. Instead of saying something he took a big gulp of his drink. I looked at the girl. She wasn't going to be any trouble if I didn't get too friendly with Yugi there, as she was making calf-eyes at him. I bet she hadn't even noticed me sitting down.  
  
"On a night out with your friends?"  
  
"Yeah... It _is_ Friday, after all. And we all got through this really important exam, the results just came out today."  
  
"Good for you!"  
  
I looked at him intensely. He didn't even blink under my gaze, just looked back with those too big eyes of his. What was he to do something like that? Usually people at least started feeling uncomfortable.  
  
"So... I couldn't but notice how you have an exactly same looking Puzzle hanging there. I thought mine was unique, where did you get that?"  
  
I neglected to mention every other thing we had in common. The little one looked down and blinked.  
  
"Oh this? My grandfather gave it to me a couple years ago. It's an Egyptian item, very ancient. How did you get yours?"  
  
Again those innocent eyes turned to me. How did he manage to look like that?  
  
"I...went to Egypt about three years ago and bought it from a tiny shop in some small village somewhere. Cannot remember its name."  
  
That lie was barely acceptable. I should practice. Looking down at my bottle of crimson liquid, I thought it would be good to at least pretend I drank it. Raising it to my lips, I used my not-so-great acting skills to make it seem like I drank the thing.  
  
"Is that good? I've thought about buying one many times, but never got around to it."  
  
I looked at Yugi - and his name made me remember I shouldn't use it, as there was no way I could know it from his point of view.  
  
"Yeah it's just good."  
  
He looked hesitant for a moment, then brightened up.  
  
"You don't exactly seem like a type to put some drugs or something in it, so mind you if I taste it?"  
  
"Uhh... Sure you can take a sip. Here you go"  
  
I gave him the bottle. He raised it to his lips, and I could only watch in fascination.  
  
"It really is good."  
  
Taking the bottle back from his outstretched hand, I was hypnotized by his alluring posture. He smiled slightly.  
  
"You know, I just remembered I have to go. Enjoy your night."  
  
"We will. Hope you won't get late from whatever you need to do."  
  
I walked away, leaving the bottle on the table.  
  
I for some reason felt like he had looked straight through me, and that was something that had never happened. Or if it had, I had forgotten it completely.  
  
Dazed, I headed back to the cool tomb. I needed to clear my head.  
  
---  
  
AN: I decided you would deserve this so quick (thank you once again to everyone who reviewed!!!), but don't expect ch 3 for some time. I have many things to do like baking for christmas and such, but I promise I'll make room for writing in my schedule this week.  
  
At least if I get so many wonderful reviews as in the first chapter... So please review! 


	3. White Roses

Welcome back everyone, to StD!!! I am astounded of all the reviews you are kind enough to write me... Not only did I get at least the same amount than in the first chapter, I got so much more! I just love this! Truly makes me want to continue.  
  
And I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Thankies to LeeYing (I don't know if I could have written this earlier, should I try to determine it? ^_~), agentpudge (which martial arts do you go to? I am in aikido ^^), Silverdrake (I'm not exactly sure how long this will be, but the end is nowhere visible yet!), Silver Dragon (I love vampire stories too! *squeals*), Wolfchanger (*bows* here you go!), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (What an odd name! ^^ I had fun, thank you. I usually bake all the cookies for Christmas...), Neko Oni (many, many things in his past *smiles evilly* you know, I'm starting to feel really kind of... twisted. Do expect weirdness!), Yami Yugi Gal (I didn't think it would be so obvious... I really do love Anne Rice's novels!), Aisling Kaiba (I certainly didn't mean him to have such an image...But when I read the chapter again, I did notice such a tendency in him O.o Completely unintentional), Chibizoo (*looks carefully at the authoress* If I remember correctly I read your story - a good one too - in the last couple days... Oh well, thanks for encouragement! ^_^), Little Kaori solo Yuy-Maxwell (Hyperness sure is popular these days... And more to be expected with the coming Christmas and all the sugar! I hope you update your own stories quick...), Synchronized Love (I thought it is cool, too!), Yami Tsuki Tenshi (Well you're easy to satisfy... I personally don't think my writing's that good...), Harpie Lady (sorry for the delay... ^^ ), Jealous Vampiress (I think I invented a great way to add Seto into this fic... I think it will be S/J, but in a bit smaller part than Y/Y), Nightshadow (if by soon you mean now...), Cyberkat (exactly my words!) and Cat (It's a good thing indeed this not so much like the other vampire fics. Not by too much anyway) - merry Christmas all!  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 3: White Roses  
  
What now? I didn't exactly feel like going back to all those people. Too much things going through my mind, too many years in the grave...  
  
I had walked to my tomb and sat beneath the rosebush. Well, it wasn't MY tomb, but close enough. The coffin I had slept in had had a previous occupant before I decided to use it. I had been sitting here for quite some time now.  
  
The boy had the Puzzle... I'm not exactly sure of the meaning behind this. Previously I had thought that mine was the only one. Sure I had a faint memory of some other Items nearly similar in power to mine, but a duplicate? It didn't seem possible, and for me to suddenly wake up after so long and notice it almost immediately... That was bordering a miracle. Except if those two had some kind of a connection.  
  
Could it be? But Yugi had said he had had the Puzzle for many years. Why would it activate now, if that was its power? This was all too confusing.  
  
I glanced up at the clear moon. It shone nearly as brightly as the lights humans had in this city of theirs. A small fragment that hadn't changed... And the stars were the same. A disappearing solace.  
  
I picked a white rose blossom from the bush. So fragile... So beautiful... So calming... I wondered what had happened to all the other vampires I had known way back when I was still adored, still up-to-date of the world. Could they be still 'alive', haunting deserted alleyways in this bright new world, sucking the blood from their innocent victims? Or had they perhaps gone to sleep, to dream nightmares they couldn't remember, to lie in their resting places year after year, to slowly waste away as the blood in their veins was used up...  
  
I stood up, the petals of the blossom in my hand reflecting the light dimly, and started wandering down the path to the other direction from my little journey to the world of men.  
  
Could a simple flower save me from the depression I was starting to feel? I didn't think so. It was too small and fragile to achieve such a task. Small and fragile... A bit like the boy that looked so much like me. And another mystery there... How could he look so much like me? This time it couldn't be the Puzzle he had. I refused to consider the possibility that it had somehow affected Yugi even before he had had the Item. Too unbelievable even for me.  
  
My surroundings were getting brighter, so I looked up from my brooding. I had arrived to the other side of the cemetery, and on the other side of the road was a small patch of forest. Behind it were houses, more normal- looking, thankfully. Not that the tall buildings from before hadn't looked great, but I felt more at ease with these smaller buildings.  
  
There was a bench near the spot I was standing in, so I decided to go sit there for a while. Before I got there, however, I heard familiar voices.  
  
"It was fun, Jou-kun. Sweet dreams!"  
  
". . . Sure, Yugi. Ummmm, you too."  
  
"I need to be on my way as well. I guess I'll see you on Monday at least."  
  
"Of course Anzu. Good night!"  
  
I managed to meet them again?! What kind of magic was this, for accidents like this shouldn't happen in such a big city.  
  
I saw Yugi walking my way, his friends having left on their own ways. What a temptation. I knew I couldn't resist going to him, but I still tried. Quickly - well, at least that was my intention - I turned. Then I continued the turn and walked forward.  
  
"So we meet again."  
  
He looked at me with curiosity.  
  
"Hi! I wasn't expecting meeting you here. I mean, such a coincidence to never see each other and suddenly meet twice in the same night."  
  
Cheerful. Innocent. It was like he didn't suspect anything, although I was sure he had in at least some level recognized me for what I am when our gazes had met in the bar.  
  
"Indeed. And when the other person looks so much like you, it is even more amazing. I must admit, that got me very curious."  
  
He smiled. The smile lit up his eyes, and they were glowing like two amethysts in the dim light.  
  
"Me too."  
  
My heart started beating a touch faster, making me all too aware of my lack of blood. Such beauty had actually given me some thought... I looked down at my hands, the white rose still held in my left hand. Without even thinking of what I was going to do and what consequences it might have, I stepped closer to him and held the small blossom out to him.  
  
"Here you go. Take it."  
  
He looked a bit startled, and my mind began to work. Now what I had gotten myself into?  
  
"T-thanks."  
  
He carefully took it and held it a bit awkwardly. I would have felt glad if I hadn't been so wrapped up in worrying. His gaze slowly rose from the flower, seeking mine. I could see questions, some that I couldn't answer and some that I didn't want to, they were clustered in his eyes like he wanted to burst them all out in one small moment.  
  
"I... I don't think I'm the right person for you to make those questions. I've never been good at answering. But you should know I'm dangerous to be around, little look-alike. And I would truly like to know how it is possible you have that Puzzle. But there are questions we are never meant to -"  
  
I opened my eyes which had slid nearly closed. I hadn't noticed myself moving. But there I was, my face merely inches from his, my arms wrapped around his slender form. I froze in shock. The scent of his blood filled my consciousness, his heart was beating in the same rhythm as mine. My body screamed for nourishment this human body would give.  
  
Yugi was in my arms, looking like he had gone into some kind of trance. And I wasn't sure that hadn't happened, because sometimes people reacted like that to the closeness of vampires. But his wide eyes were fastened on me, and as I moved I could feel him waking up.  
  
Not having the courage to face him, I ran.  
  
How could I suddenly lose all my self-control like that? I didn't know, and I couldn't get it out of my mind. Moving among the gravestones in an incredible speed, I closed my eyes. No, I couldn't act like that.  
  
Perhaps having to concentrate with my other senses than vision made me feel it, because there it suddenly was. A presence. Very close. And I knew this individual, although I couldn't quite place it.  
  
I stopped and searched for it. To the left, very close. I looked that way, and saw another tomb. The feeling was coming from there. An old comrade? Could very well be. Trying to forget what I had just done, I broke down the door and went in.  
  
---  
  
AN: Hope you enjoyed it *gets a wicked grin* I sure had fun writing this, and the plot is getting clearer in my head... You should look out, you know, I don't know how long I'm able to keep this PG-13... I hope all of my wonderful readers don't mind. And sorry how short this chapter turned out to be.  
  
Review please! You can expect chapter 4 sometime this year. It's not that long you know... 


	4. Son of a Pharaoh

Here is a small Christmas present for all of you who like my fic! I don't know how many of you is on a vacation already, so I probably shouldn't expect so many reviews... Oh well. *shakes her head* I was going to write Birth of Phoenix for once, but for some reason the saved file wouldn't open *grumbles* Why did the computer have to start acting all bitchy now? And if you necessarily want to see the disclaimer, look in the previous chapters.  
  
Not to worry, anyone, the title will make sense. Sometime in the distant future. I'm not exactly sure when. So many of you thought the person in the tomb to be either Seto or Bakura... Well, either one is clearly right, but which one? I'm not sure myself, yet. I'll have to see what I manage to write... (YS: now that is disturbing.) My my, look who's here! I noticed you didn't show up in the last chapter. (YS: what can I say, I was busy. Stop pestering me about it . . .) ~_~  
  
And as already traditional, it's time to thank my reviewers! This time Jadej.j (read onward and you'll know!), Chisa and Neko (*grins* I think it will be S/J too...), Yami Yugi Gal (^_^ Me just loves Anne Rice! *glomps back*), Jealous Vampiress (*blinks* lemon? ehhh... I don't think it needs to be lemon to be rated R, but now that you mentioned it... Naah. It would probably suck anyway!), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (thank you!), dilanda (*blushes* I don't think it is that much better than the other vampire fics... And the plot part is questionable... Although I seem to be making something interesting with all the little hints. We'll see!), Silver Dragon (I'm not really familiar with this rating thing, do you think it is too low? I have just noticed that people seem to be extremely careful with that, or then it's just different cultures... And yep, it will have Y/YY.), Neko-chan (you'll just have to read the chapter to find out! Yes, there is a high possibility on this being B/R too... The scene seems interesting - kawaii! - but considering this is Yami POV, I'll have to change that part... And make it a little longer, you know, make it sound more like me. I hope you'll be satisfied with the result, I worried over it for a good part of two hours!) Jadesaber (thank you! So many people love my fic!), Silverdrake (arigatou gozaimasu! ^^), Neko Oni (it's addicting? I never knew I could write like that o.O And whoa, how do you have time to go to two martial arts? Could be just that I'm addicted to aikido and go there every chance I get, in other words nearly every day... And the jo - wooden stick - really is cool, but I always manage to trip myself on it... Thus I like bokken - the wooden sword - more!), firedraygon97 (I don't know, read the chappie so you'll find out... And yet another person who loves my fic! ^^), Cyberkat (what plot? *gets an innocent chibi face* I don't see any plot lying around somewhere. Do you? *giggles* Really, it's not that clear for me yet, I only have a general idea of what's going to happen. Mostly I'm just winging it!), Amy (thank you so much!), Chibizoo (you wrote YGO that early? *claps her hands* A real veteran! Enjoy your vacation, and I hope this chapter is long enough...) and Kirei Tsuki (you're so right!) remembered me! Thank you! (YS: Have you noticed how this section seems to grow rapidly?)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 4: Son of a Pharaoh  
  
The tomb I stepped in wasn't so unlike the one I had come from. Dusty, dim, full of ancient coffins in which the bodies of those once-living humans laid. And all I could think of was the sweetness of the small boy's scent, his large eyes looking at me with so much confusion, his frail body so close to mine.  
  
I stopped and took a deep breath. No use thinking about it. Now concentrate on this new twist in the wake of events. Who could this familiar person be? The knowledge was there, I merely couldn't access it. As in so many other things. I couldn't remember why the Puzzle was so important, I couldn't remember why I had stopped drinking blood from humans, not why I had gone to my long sleep, or even who I was. I was floating in this new world with no place to attach to...  
  
Shrugging off the depressive thoughts I stepped forward. Perhaps this other vampire here could help me. I could feel him very near. Nodding my head I headed to a particularly fancy looking coffin. Here. Grabbing the edge of the black marble I threw the top away.  
  
With a loud clatter it landed to the floor, raising a cloud of dust. I backed a little bit. The dust shrouded the inside of the long box so I couldn't immediately see what was lying there. Impatiently I waited for the dust to settle.  
  
A body slowly came visible, unmoving and to my senses feeling like death. I looked as the dust slowly settled back, revealing a body slightly shriveled with blood loss, result from his long sleep. But he wasn't as bad off as I had been, meaning he had slept for a shorter time. Something in me moved as I watched his still form.  
  
His brown hair fell to his face, concealing most of his forehead. His hands were resting on his chest, his dusty clothes were seemingly of a fine material. I reached out a hand and touched his face gently. A small shiver went through him and he turned his head to face me. His eyes slowly opened and focused on me. Then they filled with cold determination and hatred.  
  
//Pharaoh!//  
  
"Seto..."  
  
Long-lost memories flooded my mind.  
  
---Flashback---  
  
I walked in the dimly lit hallway, my bodyguards silently trailing behind. The hot air filled my lungs and the dry wind from the desert burned my skin. Some bird chirped in the distance. It was getting late, but I couldn't sleep yet. No rest for the young son of the pharaoh tonight, it seemed. And why had I been summoned to the throne room? Father didn't like me around there, except on very formal occasions.  
  
I arrived to the doors and they were opened for me. I barely noticed, as this was a common occurrence. What I _did_ notice was a small crowd of the most powerful persons in the whole of Egypt. I searched them, surprised, but didn't find my father. Stepping closer to them, I noticed the young High Priest [1] and addressed him.  
  
"Where is the Pharaoh? I thought the summons were from him."  
  
The priest looked the most uncomfortable that I had ever seen him to be. His emotionless blue eyes fastened on me, managing to unnerve me somewhat.  
  
"Your father the Pharaoh is...not in a condition to issue such orders at the moment. His authority currently is above a mortal's demands. Our most revered regent has become a god."  
  
I looked at him, not believing my ears. My father...  
  
Suddenly I had an insane urge to laugh. Carefully keeping my face blank, I looked at the next speaker, the High Priestess Ishizu.  
  
"When shall we keep the coronation?"  
  
I couldn't answer the question. Too many emotions were going through me that I could make myself care about something like that. Turning on my heels I retreated to a smaller room next to the throne room, to a balcony overlooking one of the numerous gardens.  
  
I could hear someone coming after me.  
  
"I don't recall giving you permission to follow."  
  
"I know, Pharaoh. I just thought you might need some words of advice."  
  
It was the High Priest Seto Kaiba. I turned to face him.  
  
"This must be a terrible loss to you."  
  
I couldn't control my face at such a claim and my mouth twisted to a small grin.  
  
"...I see. Your father wasn't very popular even with the commoners, come to think of it. But right now you need to be the grieving son."  
  
"And why do you think I wouldn't be aware of that? I _have_ been living in this palace for all my life, you know."  
  
"Let me be frank. There are too many plots for getting power shifted from one hands to others for me to feel comfortable."  
  
"Don't play that game with me, Seto. I know you enjoy the game for power, you always have. Nothing else could have brought you so far while still so young. Except your father's influence on the other High Priests..."  
  
The man standing before me didn't like what that implied. He looked away briefly, but to his credit he composed himself quickly and looked back, deciding to ignore the last sentence.  
  
"Exactly. And now I'm determined to establish my good position in the reign of the new Pharaoh."  
  
I smiled, a genuine smile this time, not one born out of hate and a feeling of victory.  
  
"I like your style. What have you got to offer me?"  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
Confused, I backed away from the other vampire as he agonizingly slowly rose from the black coffin. What could have caused that hate in him, we had been friends... Well, at least somewhat friendly.  
  
"Seto, what...?"  
  
"Don't claim to be innocent, Pharaoh. I know what you did and for that I'll hate you for eternity."  
  
"But I cannot remember! Didn't your memories fade while you were asleep?"  
  
"Should they have?"  
  
I looked at him in fascination as he drew closer. His voice sounded so dry, like two stones grinding together, and he still managed to sound so commanding.  
  
"I don't know if it is what usually happens... But all I remember about you is that we made some kind of alliance at the time of my father's death."  
  
He staggered closer to me, looking at me intensely.  
  
"Are you really telling the truth..?"  
  
I backed against another coffin in my desire to get farther from him. He seemed so menacing, and the human I once knew was nowhere visible. He walked to me, finally grabbing my shoulders for support. His gaze seemed to want to burrow into my mind.  
  
Then he burst to laughter.  
  
"The great Pharaoh has truly lost his memory! This must be the joke of the millennium..."  
  
I could do nothing but look at him in weird fascination. Then I took a step forward and punched him in the stomach. His laughter was changed to a fit of coughing.  
  
"What is wrong with you?! I go through all the trouble to wake you, and this is what I get? Has the long sleep garbled your mind somehow? I need answers, not jokes on my current situation!"  
  
I fumed over his strong form. He was half coughing half laughing now. I was beginning to seriously get ticked off by his behavior. I couldn't see the joke in this situation.  
  
As Seto slowly calmed down I walked towards the open doorway.  
  
"Be quiet already. If some human walks by they would surely hear you."  
  
I could hear him suddenly go all quiet and get up. Then he walked to me, stopping near my shoulder. I refused to look at him. Then he whispered to me.  
  
"If you don't remember, it's because you don't want to. Think really hard if your memories are worth retrieving."  
  
What did he mean by that? Before I could get the thought to words he was already walking away.  
  
"Now that I'm awake, I might as well feed. Good night to you, have a good eternity."  
  
I could hear his amusement. Leaning against the doorway, I thought on what to do to the broken door. Seto might not want to think of these things, but I certainly didn't want to be exposed.  
  
So I had been a Pharaoh when I was still human... Then I noticed that I still didn't have a name.  
  
"Sheesh . . . Seto, wait! Wait for me!"  
  
I couldn't see him, but luckily I could still sense him. He wasn't that far away, and he had stopped. I ran, guided by that sensation, and couldn't but hope that Yugi was nowhere around as this was the same direction he had been when I last saw him. It would be too embarrassing to meet him again.  
  
Blast it, there were those confusing thoughts about him again. What a bother, I had thought I got over them already. No such luck. That little human -  
  
My mind froze. Human . . . And Seto would very probably have no qualms about feeding off of mortals. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about that for long, as I arrived to the scene he made quickly.  
  
He _was_ feeding on a human, but it wasn't Yugi. I was relieved for a moment, until the whole scene hit in fully. My gaze involuntarily shifted to him, and stayed there.  
  
Seto's mouth was resting on the throat of a woman, her whole body was frigid with the shock of a vampire's kiss. His hands kept her tightly against his body, digging into her soft flesh with inhuman strength. I could smell fresh blood in the air so clearly, I could almost taste it. One more reminder that I hadn't drank enough yet... My whole body yearned for the sweet taste of blood, to the extent that I began to shake slightly.  
  
Then he dropped her, I could see small droplets of crimson blood on his lips. She was dead, abandoned, a mere corpse lying on the cool ground, a victim to the hunter in the night.  
  
He turned to me, annoyed.  
  
"Now what."  
  
I woke from the slight trance I had fallen into, and looked at him. He was more alive now, nearly passing for a human. His skin glowed with the living blood flowing through him, giving him strength and power, helping him adjust to the new surroundings. And no doubt he already knew more of this time than I did. The blood was the store of all the information the individual had, and while one couldn't take all of it a small part always filtered through, though it might take some time to settle in.  
  
Slowly I exhaled to keep those thoughts out, and concentrated.  
  
"I want to know my name."  
  
He looked at me strangely.  
  
"You can't remember even that? ...Very well. One could call you the darkness of the Land, the plague that swept through the Lower and the Upper Egypt. The reaper out to get all the souls and gather them to the land of the dead."  
  
That didn't help much. And what had gotten him to call me those things, had I really been that bad? Why? I looked at Seto in confusion. He snorted.  
  
"That doesn't ring a bell, does it. You might not remember all that, but I most certainly do. Don't expect any sympathy from me...Yami."  
  
He looked down and bowed over the corpse on the street, to gather any valuables.  
  
"You might want to feed too, you look as white as a sheet. Some pretty girl would do you good. Or would it be pretty boy?"  
  
That was the last drop I could take. I turned and walked down the street. Behind me I could hear his mocking laughter. What was up with this guy? Couldn't he take a vampire with a non-human diet?  
  
At least I got to know a name, although I wasn't sure if it really was mine. It didn't bring any new memories. But it was kind of fitting, so I decided to use it.  
  
Trying to leave Seto Kaiba out of my thoughts, they turned to the sweet human I met earlier this night. Yugi... How could a single mortal affect me so?  
  
The street glistened in the lamplight, although it wasn't wet. I just stared at it, walking onwards and onwards, thinking of eternity, death, and salvation, birth, rebirth and the damnation being a vampire was. And thinking of Yugi.  
  
I saw houses after houses, one looking like the other. I saw clouds quickly gather in the dark sky and the smell of rain fill the air. As I walked, my strength failing, my innards screaming with the lust for blood, I came upon a house not so different from the others. But this one had a familiar scent coming from the inside.  
  
Nearly hypnotized, I walked to the yard, looking for a sign of that mortal I knew was inside that building. After what seemed like an eternity, I arrived to an open window. The lights were out, but what kind of a vampire I would be to let that stop me? I could smell him. A rumble came from the skies above and a few drops of rain quickly became a flood.  
  
I stood in the rain for a while, trying to resist the urge to go inside. But was it really worth it? How could one not be affected by that small creature? Giving in to my desire, I jumped with little effort to the second- story window, dropping to the floor with a cat-like grace. In absolute silence I went nearer to my small target.  
  
Silently standing by his still figure, I admired his sleeping form, listening to his quiet breathing. He looked like an angel, a radiant, shining, _beautiful_ angel. How cute could one be without completely messing up someone's mind? I wouldn't know, he already had gotten into my mind, twisting my thoughts as easily as a kitten with a ball of string. The mortal who got through my mental shields... I wouldn't be surprised if I someday found out that the reason I woke up was him.  
  
The said human shifted in his sleep, revealing a pale neck. I couldn't help myself and leaned slowly forward, hissing in frustration at my weakness. A small voice cried in my head not to do anything, not to get any closer, for I certainly didn't have enough strength of will in my current condition to avoid doing something I would sorely regret later. But it was so tempting...  
  
Kneeling down, I laid my hands on either side of him, and lowered my face to that luring, glowing skin. Touching my lips to his skin right on the pulsing vein, I whimpered silently with the pain of the touch, all my vampiric senses screaming for the blood so close now. Trying to restrain myself, my mouth involuntarily slid lower on his throat. Raining little kisses down his throat, I was not feeling even remotely like myself. The lust for - his blood? His body? - was preventing me from thinking clearly, and I let my fangs touch his skin lightly.  
  
In response the little one moved, and began to wake. Paralyzed, I looked in grave fascination as his eyes fluttered open. Waking from my frozen thoughts, I moved away from him as quickly as I could, concealing myself in the shadows of a dark corner. He mumbled something sleepily, the loneliness in his voice nearly making me go to him, to hold him in my arms just for this one time, forgetting about the world and the past, the shadows of my mind threatening to swallow me in the darkest moments of the night.  
  
His head turned this way and that, searching for that something which had woken him, searching for me. Desperately I tried to control my breathing, as I was slightly panting from what I had done. And what _had_ I done? What had made me act in such a way, which I was sure I had never before acted? How could I lose myself so in that sweet scent of his, the rapture of being so close to that single person I cared in this era, the first one I had seen after waking up... I wasn't able to stop this, all these new feelings moving inside me.  
  
Drops of rain fell inside from the open window, and the petite boy turned his attention to that. Rising from the bed, he walked barefoot to close it. I watched, restraining myself from swooping upon him like a bat on its prey from my dark corner. He turned around, yawning, and headed back to his bed. He didn't notice small puddles of water on the floor, leading to his bed. Or perhaps he thought the rain had reached his room.  
  
I waited as Yugi fell back to sleep, snuggling close to his pillow. I couldn't use the window to get back outside, so I'd have to use the door... It would be less likely that the opening of a door would wake him. Soon the slow breathing of the boy revealed him to be back asleep.  
  
As I was creeping silently across his room, I noticed a white rose on the table. The rose I gave him... He had kept it... Mystified, I picked it up and smelled its alluring fragrance. He had kept my gift for him... Smiling gently, I laid it back on the table. Perhaps this relatively insignificant memory would make me feel better once what I had done would hit in properly. To keep some of the guilt at bay...  
  
I crept to the door and began to find my way out of this house.  
  
---  
  
[1] Does anyone know of which god? If I got it right every god had their own priesthood in Egypt (and other cultures with many gods)...  
  
AN: must...write...more... *collapses from exhaustion* (YS: *shows up in a flash of light, shaking her head* She tries too much. *drags Shenya somewhere and returns to glare at the readers* Now you listen to me! Even though her flashback sucks, she still deserves reviews for writing this! And all her previous chapters were written in a few hours, when this one took at least seven...)  
  
Shenya: Don't expect me to add more until I get tired of all my Christmas presents... This time I'm serious too, no update for a while! And sorry to all the people who wished/thought it to be Bakura. I already had a great idea on what would happen between them, but then I changed it and...Well, lets just say that he makes and interesting appearance - most likely in the next chapter, so this fic won't stretch to be endless. And you can all thank Neko-chan for the fluffiness in this chapter! ^.^ Review please!!! (YS: Where did you come from O_O) 


	5. Lost Innocence

The view moves to black-haired form hunched over a keyboard, her black- nailed hands typing rapidly. She turns to the watchers and enthusiastically waves her hand. "Hi there! Decided to try a different beginning this time... And no - I'm still not tired of my presents but I simply have to get all these ideas out of my head. *groans in frustration* I swear, my imagination has gone out of control these few days I haven't written, every piece of melody I hear gets stuck in my head and turns into a songfic - although I don't write them down - and every little word grows into an epic tale of (mostly) romance and adventure. It's not like it wouldn't be a good thing, but they should at least stick to memory long enough to write, or stay in one topic long enough to make it good instead of some random peace...  
  
Okay, enough ranting about that. I should perhaps mention that my writing style in this chapter might be a bit changed, due to a new novel by Anne Rice (did you know I read my first novel by her when I was merely 9 years old? it really got me into the whole 'vampire' stuff!) I got and new inspiration music... Previously all have come from the same album as 'Slaying the Dreamer', now I changed to another one, although the same band. Simply 'cause I can't keep my hands off it, I just got it for Christmas. ^___^ I haven't mentioned what kind of music Nightwish plays, have I? At moments it's like listening to opera with electric guitars, heavy basses and drums. The singer is a female, and sings a bit high, thus the 'opera'. It's amazing what listening to music like that can do to your imagination, the mood of the story turns out quite different. And of course it's metal, don't expect anything else out of me! IMPORTANT NOTICE: the rating has been CHANGED TO R!!! (Plus I don't own Yugioh or any other things mentioned here)  
  
But I've never noticed before how much fun thanking reviewers could be... Thank you to Me ^.^ (As soon as possible, right now you couldn't get me away from the computer with a gun), Jadej.j (unfortunately no S/J fluff in this chapter yet, but I think something else is coming...), Labannya (I hope you have had your answers...), Amy (*breaks down weeping* People are too nice to me!!!), kiyok-chan (I try to keep up the quality in my writing... Although I don't know to what extent I manage to do it...), Jealous Vampiress (die? *cackles evilly* Die all you beloved reviewers! ^.^ thanks for your answers), highqueenofthegods (thanks for the offer - and the answers! The translations are always a bit hard for me, but seeing how I've loved ancient Egypt ever since I was a kid I probably don't need any help otherwise... But you'll never know!), Lady Geuna (thank you! I really should try to write the S/J part, people seem to love that couple), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (*nods her head* that would make sense... The fic makes you think what?), Yugilover13 (strange it is... Here's a new chappie for ya!), Katana (thank you! happy new year!), Cyberkat (good that you liked it) and Jadesaber (I noticed your review just showed up... You certainly don't need to wait long!) You people are too great!  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 5: Lost Innocence  
  
Groggily I woke from sleep. Not a long one this time, just normal sleep all vampires fall to every day, during the time the sun shines on the light- blue sky. It took me awhile to recall the events of last night.  
  
I had kissed a mortal, went to his home and nearly bitten him... How could I have done so? What had possessed me to fall for someone I had known only for one night? I didn't know, and the knowledge that I nearly drunk his blood was eating me alive. So easily had my decision been broken...  
  
I rose from my coffin, lusting for more blood. I _had_ drank more on the way here last night, but the long day had sapped my powers somewhat. Of course, bloodlust is a constant companion for vampires, not to be avoided even when one cannot drink one more drop, is filled with the knowledge blood brings. Even then there is a craving that cannot be satisfied, even though it is somewhat dulled by one's full veins and burdened heart.  
  
The tomb was as dim as yesterday, and as dusty. I hurried out of there, my thoughts turned to the coming night, my plans on how to get familiar with everything new, how to make a living in this new environment. That is why I didn't notice a certain violet-eyed boy until I nearly walked over him...  
  
Scared out of my wits, I jumped back towards the tomb, ready to bolt. He just looked at me, surprised, red coloring his cheeks, his other hand holding on to a rose. I watched. The same kind of a rose I had given him, taken from the bushes just outside the tomb.  
  
"Hi... Ummm..."  
  
He looked hesitant, and I couldn't help him in any way. I was stunned to silence. He had found me...  
  
"I thought the rose looked kind of familiar... Then I remembered that here grows some and I thought that since we didn't exactly finish the conversation I ..."  
  
He trailed off, the red becoming stronger on his face. He kept looking at the open tomb, then back to me again - a sure sign that he had seen me coming out of there.  
  
"Thought we could talk some more now? Fine... Perhaps in more pleasant surroundings?"  
  
My mind started working. I would need to draw his mind off that particular bit of information of me. For some reason I was hesitant to use the abilities of my mind, it just wouldn't feel right to use them on him... Besides, I owed him something for all I had done.  
  
At his nod I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and began to lead him towards the bench we had met at for the second time. I didn't notice the color deepening on Yugi's face, nor was it a conscious decision to get so close to him in the first place.  
  
"But... But now? I mean, I would need to go home first. Jiichan will get worried if I don't get home soon and -"  
  
I sighed in relief. A bit more time to plan on what to say to him.  
  
"Of course. Where shall we meet?"  
  
I looked down at Yugi, my thoughts still wrapped around the problem of actually keeping up a conversation with him. I noticed a certain haziness in my mind when he was around, like I couldn't concentrate properly.  
  
"Ummm... How about the Park of Summernight [1]? You know where that is, right?"  
  
Gently I ran my fingers down his side, still unaware of what I was doing. I didn't know where the park was, but I could always ask different people...  
  
"Sure I know that. We'll meet there within a few hours, does that go with you?"  
  
"Y - yeah. Meet you there."  
  
He took a step forward, and my hand fell from his side. I looked at it in shock. Again... Again I had given in to my desires, this time without noticing. This was getting too serious for me. I shifted my gaze from my hand to Yugi, walking down the path and glancing back at me from time to time. What had I gotten myself into now? Nothing good could come out of this, I could sense it.  
  
I watched as the little look-alike disappeared from my view as he walked forward. Then it came to me - he had actually sought me out? He had waited for me by the rosebush, hoping to meet me again?  
  
My knees felt weak.  
  
---Time lapse---  
  
I sat on a bench, nervously twisting this way and that, waiting for Yugi to arrive. I had drifted among all the glorious shops as long as my patience allowed me to, then searched out this park. It hadn't been hard to find, and now I had sat here, worrying, for at least half an hour.  
  
I couldn't make up any answers to my questions, it was beginning to irritate me _a lot_. All I seemed to have done ever since I came out of that coffin was ask questions, which I wasn't used to doing. My past, Yugi, our Puzzles, Seto... How much could one vampire take? Not much more, I thought.  
  
The park was empty at this time of the night, but now I could hear footsteps coming this way. I stood up, immediately thinking it to be Yugi. But as soon as I saw the figure coming towards me, I realized my mistake. He was a lot taller than Yugi, and moonlight made his white hair glow, giving him an angelic aura.  
  
"Well well well, isn't it the mighty pharaoh"  
  
The owner of the taunting voice came closer. I could see his hair demonically flaring up behind him, his brown, crimson hued eyes of a vampire looking at me with hatred. His hand was balled into a fist. As he came nearer, I could see something glinting in the light of the streetlamps.  
  
The Ring...  
  
---Flashback---  
  
"Right this way, Pharaoh."  
  
I followed the guidance of the High Priest Seto, who was taking me to a well-guarded room. Inside this room was something I had waited for a long time to see...  
  
I stopped in front of a table, covered with a cloth. Seto came right after, and glanced at me.  
  
"Are you ready to see this?"  
  
I nodded impatiently. Years of waiting had finally paid off. The Priest revealed the objects lying on the table. Seven golden objects, radiating power.  
  
The Millennium Items; Puzzle, Ring, Rod, Tauk, Eye, Scales and Ankh.  
  
I had an insane urge to laugh. Finally they were mine to command!  
  
"Excuse me... I would like to have my reward now... I won't bother you again, I just want to get out of here."  
  
The soft voice came from a dark corner of the room. A figure stepped forward, a figure with white hair. Of course, the tomb robber I had 'hired' off the streets. What was his name...Bakura?  
  
I glared at the High Priest by my side.  
  
"I thought I told you to take care of him!"  
  
He looked startled. Oh yes - I had forgotten to tell him. Not my fault... The duties of a regent were sometimes very tiresome.  
  
"I'm sorry my Pharaoh. It won't happen again."  
  
"It had better not..."  
  
The Priest called the guards in. Three should be enough to escort the scum to a dungeon until time could be found to execute him.  
  
The young thief struggled in their grasp. I hardly noticed, my eyes were full of my precious prize. And to think my father had been stupid enough to think I would let a simple matter of a tomb stop me... No, I had effective ways to go around the curse of my father's tomb. Simply send someone not valuable in.  
  
A laugh rose from my throat, beginning from a small giggle, ending in a full-blown laugh, echoing off the empty walls of the room.  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
My eyes widened. What the -?  
  
"It seems that you finally have decided to grace us with your presence."  
  
I looked at the demonic vampire, my mind reeling with the new information I now held of my past. I had been so cruel... Now I could clearly remember the hatred inside me, the cold feeling of emptiness filling my mind, birthing cruelty and insanity.  
  
"Took you long enough to come out to this bright new world. Some of these people of these present times might be cruel enough even for you."  
  
I glared at the shady form, the tomb robber I had had to steal the Millennium Items from my father's tomb. And then brutally ordered to be executed. What had happened then for him to be alive, with the Ring and the vampiric blood... And I was sure I hadn't done those cruel things he spoke about ever since I became a vampire. Unless one counts drinking from humans, which I _had_ done in the early centuries. Couldn't remember for how long, though.  
  
"Oh, so was that pathetic priest truly serious? The poor little pharaoh has lost his memory..."  
  
"Don't mock me, son of a devil. I know very well what has happened to me. I don't know what has happened _you_, though, I recalled you to be a gentle soul, wary of violence."  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly, and that was the only warning I had before he was on me, trying to get a hold of my throat with his hands. As he spoke next, his voice was hissing, full of madness and rage.  
  
"Don't you _dare_ to claim you don't remember what you did to me! It was bad enough knowing you were somewhere, carrying that information with you, but that you would have forgotten -"  
  
For some time now I had heard gentle footsteps on the ground, but not really registered what I heard. But now the owners of those sounds came to the scene, and that made the vampire on top of me look up and freeze in surprise. I turned to be able to see them. Yugi - finally, my mind sighed - but he had friend with him.  
  
A white haired, brown eyed friend. A near exact copy of the ancient tomb robber who had attacked me.  
  
They stared at each other, dumbfounded. I could see something awakening in the mind of the tomb robber. He looked back at me, it was a visible effort for him to tear his eyes away from the clueless mortal.  
  
"Curse you, Pharaoh. This would have never happened if you had merely stayed in that eternal sleep of yours! Go back to the grave!"  
  
With that he was gone, having used the powers the blood of humans gave him. The powerful blood which had had centuries to get stronger, drawing off every human he felt like feeding from.  
  
Him gone, I could now get up. Yugi quickly came to my side.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."  
  
Assisted by him, I stood up, leaning slightly on the slender mortal. Why would this be my fault, what could be activated simply because I had woken from my long sleep? These innocent versions of us were born years ago... I looked at the other boy, confused. What caused this? I searched his questioning eyes. No hidden knowledge there. The boy was not to be blamed, he was as clueless as I was. The Ring hanging from his neck gleamed slightly.  
  
I froze. Seemed to be doing that a lot lately. But another copy of an Item... Having noticed the Items both of the humans carried, I was drawn to the conclusion that they had something to do with this after all. Yugi's voice came from somewhere far away, introducing the mortal.  
  
"This is Ryou Bakura, a friend of mine. I met him on the way here, and he got interested of the similarity of our puzzles. You see, his father is an archaeologist, he might have some idea."  
  
Ryou shifted uncomfortably under my dull gaze.  
  
"Perhaps we could discuss this some other time... I would in no way like to keep you waiting, but I would really need to go now."  
  
"No problem. Some other time..."  
  
Relieved, the boy left, leaving me alone with Yugi and my chaotic thoughts.  
  
"Excuse me for asking, but why did that look-alike of Ryou call you a pharaoh?"  
  
Now how was I going to explain my way out of this...?  
  
---Bakura POV [2] IF YOU FEEL QUEASY ABOUT DESCRIPTIVE BLOODSUCKING AND (PARTIALLY SUGGESTED) RAPE PLEASE DON'T READ!!! ---  
  
I looked from farther away as the young mortal walked away from Pharaoh and his human. My mind was reeling with the possibilities this new twist brought. Well, not exactly new, but I had never really believed some truth could actually be in those old texts...  
  
When the boy, Ryou, was disappearing from my sight among the trees, walking farther from my current location, I made a quick decision and followed him. Grinning in what I knew to be a lecherous way, I moved faster than a mortal's eye could follow, reaching my copy in no time at all.  
  
This was a way too tempting opportunity to pass. I wondered what his blood would taste like once I sank my sharp fangs into his neck. I could smell the boy all the way to where I was following him silently, some meters behind, admiring his form partially obscured by the darkness. His scent spoke of warm evenings by a fire, loving care and innocence shot through every other fragrance. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.  
  
I followed him, stalking silently in shadows, wondering if the Pharaoh felt as drawn to his modern version as I did to this little human. Resisting a sudden urge to cackle, I remembered his decision all those years ago, that he wouldn't drink the blood of humans anymore. What a torture he must be going through if he really felt like this...  
  
Me and my small prey arrived to a house, and he walked in. Smiling faintly I tried the door after waiting a suitable time to confirm I wouldn't walk straight to him. Locked, which was to be expected, but didn't stop me. Concentrating my mind for a while, I had the satisfactory result of hearing the lock make a small click and the door open. Feeling a little feverish I stepped in and closed the door. Nothing would be allowed to interfere with my moment with this Ryou.  
  
Searching with my thoughts I could feel the little one some way forward down the hall. Peeking in to one room I saw the kitchen and Ryou, who was drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Gulping down the last mouthfuls of the liquid, he set the cup on a side table and began his way out of the kitchen. I withdrew to a shadowy corner, I wasn't ready to be exposed yet. He walked past me, noticing absolutely nothing.  
  
Watching in fascination as he climbed up the stairs, I fanned my bloodlust to a flame. The sweet feeling of hunger filled my veins. Following the sweet-scented mortal I could feel my eyes turn more crimson with my feelings and my fangs come a little more visible.  
  
Stopping at his bedroom door, I was nearly paralyzed by the lust seeing him in the dim room caused. He was taking off his shirt, getting ready to sleep, no doubt. I would regretfully prevent him from doing that... He threw the shirt to a chair, and I took a step into the room, drawn in by the scent of his blood, but also the sight of his naked torso, skin gleaming in the moonlight.  
  
The prey immediately sensed me, and turned in fear. I could see his widened eyes, seemingly pleading me to drink from him. Fear lived in those eyes now. I stepped closer to him.  
  
"You are the guy who attacked that friend of Yugi's, are you not?"  
  
His voice was surprisingly calm, despite his otherwise timid behavior. I couldn't care less at the moment. His blood was calling. I didn't answer him, instead I went closer. He withdrew in fear. I wouldn't have such behavior and took a hold of his arm. So smooth skin... So smooth... Touching it almost tenderly, I drew him closer to me, and nearly lost it as his body pressed so close to mine.  
  
I pressed my lips first to his snow-white hair, then to his lips. They tasted like the hot chocolate he drank before. A bit impatient, I scraped my fangs against his quivering lips, hungry for his blood. I was awarded by a small trickle of it flowing to my mouth, and small whimpers coming from the frightened boy.  
  
Angry with myself for caring about it, I removed my mouth from his, scraping my fingernails against his bare chest. My eyes flowed over his gentle features, drinking it in, as hungry for the visual pleasure as for the blood flowing in his veins.  
  
I wrapped my free hand around him, pressing him closer, the other moving in circular patterns across his back, sliding lower. I was aware of the tears starting to flow from the boy's eyes, the moisture glistening on his face, dropping down his face to the collar of my shirt. Little sobbing noises came from him, and I felt suddenly obliged to try to calm him.  
  
//Ssshh, little one. Relax. Nothing's wrong.//  
  
I wasn't trying to make him do anything, just projected my thoughts going around my mind to him. It felt right to do so.  
  
//Please don't cry.//  
  
I tasted the salty tears on his face, licking them away. For some reason moisture started to gather in my eyes too, the slightly bloody tears threatening to fall.  
  
Passionately I kissed his throat, my breathing becoming labored, the boy sobbing in my arms. His scent enveloped me, I wasn't aware of anything else but him anymore. I couldn't wait anymore and agonizingly slowly I sank my fangs into his neck, the sweet essence of his life filling my mouth. My lips firmly pressed against his pale skin, I swallowed the first mouthful. It nearly knocked me out, the raw life of his blood now in me, screaming for more of the kind.  
  
I took a firm hold of the boy and lifted him to the nearby bed, never separating my mouth from his neck. Straddling the mortal to better access the fountain of blood, my hands started to roam across his body once more. The muscles in his arms were tensing, trying to break my grip on him, but the futile attempt merely made me want more. I could feel the little whimpers he made, his throat vibrating slightly with each little sound.  
  
He was pinned down securely under me, strength leaving his limbs as I drank the blood. I let my hands massage the tight muscles of his chest, my left hand involuntarily drifting downwards, to caress him gently and to bring his lower body more tightly against me.  
  
I felt my now stiff member rub against his hips, and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. That made the bloody tears fall to my face. The whole ordeal was getting out of hand, but I couldn't make myself care anymore. All that mattered was the boy under me, his sweet blood freely flowing to my mouth, his body warming up under my touch. A small sound of pleasure left my throat as I swallowed yet another mouthful of the essence of life.  
  
Suddenly gaining a tiny fragment of my free will, I lifted my face from his throat, gasping for air. I could see the bloody wound against his pale skin, not bleeding anymore as my warm mouth left it. his cheeks were flushed, otherwise his face was unnaturally white. How could it be otherwise, he was suffering from blood loss...  
  
Feverishly I wondered at this boy, keeping in my unconscious decision not to kill him yet, but to enjoy sucking his blood a few times more. Feeling the need to claim his body, I took his face between my hands and kissed him deeply.  
  
The boy made small voices in the back of his throat, whether of pain, fear, or pleasure, I didn't know.  
  
---  
  
[1] I really have no idea where they are living in this fic, nor do I know the surroundings... The name is from an actual park near to where I live.  
  
[2] Bakura as in Yami Bakura. And even though I wrote before I'd try to keep this in Yami's POV, I noticed that there was no way I could write proper romance between other people like that... Great. I could have used Neko-chan's scene without completely ruining it if I had noticed this before! And it seems that other couples will be in a touch bigger role than I originally thought. A day of joy to B/R and S/J fans... ^_^ Also including me.  
  
AN: Whoo! I finished it! Sorry about the long rants in the beginning! (YS: *taps Shenya on the shoulder and points at the Bakura POV with wide eyes* Is that because you kept listening to 'Nymphomaniac Fantasia' while you wrote it?) O.O What the... Oooops. I never meant it to turn out quite like that... I blame the new music! *hides behind the Christmas tree* REVIEW, PLEASE!!! 


	6. Questions Unanswered

Sorry for the long wait, everyone! I got caught up in my other ideas - mostly because I couldn't decide which of them to write. So now I have no less than three new fics coming in a short while o.O Thankfully two of them are oneshots. Look for the disclaimer in earlier chapters.  
  
Oooh, am I happy now. I have a really hot picture of Marik as wallpaper on my computer now ^.^ I searched for a good one for real long... *smiles widely* And did you check out my new bio? I think it's a bit more original now, at least I haven't seen any written like that before.  
  
Thanks to Yami Tsuki Tenshi (actually this is the first story I write that I actually think is somewhat satisfyingly written... And I have no idea why), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (Great to know someone thinks it is so good), Chisa and Neko (thank you for the compliment. Here's the next chapter!), Sage, Mistress of Magic (O.o really? I seem to affect people somewhat), Lady Geuna (*giggles* I like it too), Neko-chan (you thought it was good? *sighs in relief* I really appreciate your offer, I'll contact you if I get stuck in some part! ^^ I'll try to find the book, haven't seen it anywhere), firedraygon97 (*laughs* now really? I _do_ seem to leave the chapters in very interesting places), Jealous Vampiress (good that you liked it! R/B is one of my favorites), Synchronized Love (I'm relieved... now that you would have the next chapter posted quick! I had a wonderful Christmas, I hope yours was too!), sher (strange ending? *blinks* yeah, it kind of was... I'll try to get more Y/Y fluffiness, just can't stuff the chapters full of it so early...), highqueenofthegods (it really would have been... And I nearly wrote forward of that, but then managed to put a hold on myself ^.~ I'll try to find the books, sounds interesting) and Jadesaber (glad you like it! Weren't you the last one in the list of ch 5 too? O.O)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 6: Questions Unanswered  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
My mind worked frantically to search an easy way out of this. I could hardly admit to Yugi I was a vampire, and had lived as a human in ancient Egypt, where I had ruled with terror and tears as the pharaoh.  
  
"I...it's merely a nickname he decided to give me for some reason."  
  
Oh, how pathetic. And it didn't go through, for Yugi was looking at me weirdly. But he didn't say anything of it.  
  
"You sure have strange friends. And I've never had so many questions of some other person before, you seem to draw them like a light draws flies in a dark night."  
  
That image was so vivid - and true - that I couldn't counter it in any way. I had an odd feeling I had used those of myself long ago. Moths flying to a flame... No, I couldn't remember. All I could remember was blood. I stood there, cherishing the feel of Yugi's supporting hand around me. I wished he wouldn't take it away, no matter my own hesitation and doubts about him - us.  
  
"Are you truly all right?"  
  
"Yes, little one. That tomb robber couldn't harm me badly if he wanted to."  
  
"Tomb robber?"  
  
I looked down to him. He looked suspicious, and he had right to be. Not only had others made my situation harder, now I did it too.  
  
"It's my nickname to him."  
  
Yugi looked disappointed.  
  
"You know, you don't have to tell me if you don't want me to know, but please don't lie to me."  
  
He took a few steps away from me, in the same time withdrawing his hand from its previous position. Immediately guilt flooded my mind. I shouldn't lie to him... But neither could I tell him the truth.  
  
"I'm sorry... The truth is... The truth is very complicated. And even though I feel like I should trust you with my life, I cannot tell you. Not yet, at least. Perhaps some other day.  
  
The short boy had a closed, sad expression on his face.  
  
"I know the feeling. And do you know what the weirdest thing is? I don't even know your name..."  
  
"It's Yami, little one. At least I can tell you that."  
  
"Well, I was hoping you could tell me something else, too."  
  
He looked hesitant, avoided my questioning look, biting his lip in distress. For that alone, I was willing to tell him anything. I couldn't resist.  
  
"Were you... You know, last night. I woke up in the middle of the night. I had this feeling that you were near. It's impossible, I know. But all my life I've had these feelings, I can feel some people when they're close. And this feeling was really strong this time... I was sure you were somewhere, but I couldn't see you. It's silly. I would just like to know whether you really were there."  
  
I couldn't answer. My mouth seemed clamped shut, and all the strength in the world couldn't get it open. I could feel how my eyes were unnaturally wide - although covered by sunglasses. That was a really rare gift in mortals... And I had already promised myself not to lie to this young boy, it would feel too hideous. What could I answer?  
  
Yugi was looking at me from the corner of his eye, hopefully, but a little shyly. When my answer was so delayed, I could see that little glimmer of hope slowly fade away. His cheeks a little flushed, he bent his head.  
  
"I shouldn't even have said that. I'm sorry. Forget it."  
  
He turned as if to go, and I was jolted out of my immobility. Reaching towards him, words poured out of my mouth, I had no control over them. The important thing now was to make him stay, feel a little better about himself.  
  
"No no, don't go. If you really need to know, I _was_ there, but don't take me for a stalker now, I merely stumbled on your house, and how I knew it was yours... I have the same gift you have, no need to be ashamed or something, I understand. I wasn't expecting finding you anywhere, and in fact after what happened earlier that night I was determined not to go near you again and..."  
  
To my infinite relief he turned back to me. I knew now I shouldn't let this boy go, there had to be something weird behind this whole matter with the double Items, and it could get dangerous. A mortal who wasn't really so powerful might get really hurt in this. And maybe I could have answers from him, some small piece of information hidden in the back of his mind. And just maybe he could even help me adjust to this new world of theirs, who better to teach me their ways than a child of the very century?  
  
"I hope you wouldn't go. I'll try to answer you questions, but remember I don't know all the answers myself. And some of that knowledge must stay safely stay in my mind."  
  
Yugi looked thoughtful. I wished I could read his mind, the thoughts going through his head right now. But perhaps it was better no such gift was given to the vampire kind.  
  
"You'd really do that? I hope you are true to your word."  
  
With that he sat on the bench I had waited for him before this same night. It felt like an eternity since I had sat there worrying about what to tell him. Now all those plans were for nothing, I'd have to tell him the truth if I was going to say something. Sighing heavily, I accompanied him. I didn't need to wait long for the first disturbing question.  
  
"When we met earlier this night, did you really come out of that tomb? What were you doing there?"  
  
I was silent for a while. This might be harder than I had thought it to be.  
  
"I _did_ come from there. And as to what I was doing... I'm afraid that's one of the questions I cannot answer."  
  
"Then why did you admit to doing that? I would have been perfectly content if you said you couldn't answer, now you just managed to make me even more curious."  
  
"I don't know... I don't even know why I'm doing this, you are virtually a complete stranger to me."  
  
"Truly."  
  
He kept his gaze somewhere far away, not looking at me. The next question came as a complete surprise.  
  
"Did you really kiss me last night? When you came to my room?"  
  
He was still not looking at me. As for me, I couldn't look anywhere else but him. After every other thing he had noticed, why did it come as a surprise to me he had noticed this too?  
  
He looked at me now, I could feel how distressed he was. Gently, as not to scare him, I touched his face, leaning towards him slightly.  
  
"...Yes, I did."  
  
His violet eyes shimmered with tears, and with a little whimper he came closer to me, timidly pressing his lips against mine.  
  
I held him, trying to keep my wits as the pure scent of his blood invaded my senses and his warm mouth pressed against my lips. Opening my mouth by instinct, his tongue slipped in, deepening the kiss, and this time there were no regrets. A small voice kept telling me to be careful because of my fangs, but I couldn't make myself care right now. Thankfully nothing serious happened. I never wanted this heaven to end, but eventually we had to stop to get some air.  
  
I was surprise to see tears in his eyes.  
  
"Why did this happen to me? All I ever wanted was to be normal... Anzu is very nice, we have gone on a date a few times. I wanted someone like her - someone normal... Then I have to go and fall for a guy, who looks almost exactly like me to top it. Why?"  
  
He started sobbing, and all I could do was to hold him, whisper soothing words to his ear, hoping that life wouldn't be so cruel to the young one.  
  
---Marik POV [1] ---  
  
The air whipped past me exhilaratingly, the cold night-time air chilling my heated skin. That guy... Who was he? He looked so much like me. I had met him a bit earlier for the first time, walking to my motorcycle. He had just showed up from nowhere and tried to beat me up. He didn't manage to do that, of course. I was too good with that kind of stuff, I had had too much practice. But damn, he was really strong... Unnaturally so.  
  
And I had a feeling he had been holding back... It was a good thing he had decided to retreat, but it bothered me that I didn't know why. Drowning in my moody thoughts in the night, as I often did, I headed towards my new home in this foreign city, where my sister had insisted to come. To leave our warm Egypt for this chillness... Sometimes I really couldn't understand her.  
  
Sure, Egypt was chilly sometimes, but this was different. Here, it was cold during the day, too. How could these people take this?  
  
Driving onwards, I pondered on this cold-skinned stranger. Intriguing.  
  
But hey, what was life without mysteries? I grinned. Perhaps this could keep me satisfied during our stay, to look for that strong mirror image of mine.  
  
---Unknown POV---  
  
The six victims had met each other. It was time to wake up finally, wake up from my dream of a millennia.  
  
I opened my eyes, seeing only darkness. The space I was in was narrow, I couldn't move my hands. Gathering the strength of my mind, I blasted the obstacles away. Still dark, but at least I could move. Move after so long.  
  
Stretching my unused muscles, I took a few tentative steps on the dry, sandy ground. The air was warm, hot really, and dry. My prey was far away, but I had time.  
  
---  
  
[1] My favorite bishounen, don't even think I'd leave him out of this! *cackles evilly* although I don't necessarily put him with his yami - he might also be alone. Or even a third one in B/R... I don't know, don't get scared yet. And suggestions are welcome - as always.  
  
AN: Don't kill me... I know exactly what I'm doing, now. I got most of the fic planned out - but that's not going to help you right now. *grins* I should say that the more reviews I get, the more inspired I am to write. And no - I am not threatening with a long time between chapters anymore. I can't stay off the computer anyway... 


	7. Plans in Motion

Happy New Year everyone! *looks around* Don't kill me yet, the computer was down... I got many reviews about Marik, and nearly all of them wanted a different pairing... Oh well, I'll just have to see what I'll manage to write by myself - and that's a warning. ^.^ By the way, I'm pretty sure I haven't written a story as long as this before - I guess that tells something of how much more fun writing is when you get some kind of feedback on it! Plus I revised the earlier chapters - nothing big has changed, perhaps some things are clearer now.  
  
Perhaps I should warn you that this is a REALLY ANGSTY/DARK CHAPTER...  
  
I got 22 new reviews?! I cannot believe this! *shakes her head* Thankies to Yami Tsuki Tenshi (I like the two Mariks together, too, just thought I would add something different... Oh well, probably they will be), KawaiiBlackMoon (if you thought that chapter had action in it, then just wait for the future ones...), Silver Dragon (You got PS2? I'm so jealous... You'll find out eventually who the 'unknown' is *grins wickedly*), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (I love the extra time on vacations too! ^^), Synchronized Love (Yugi will feel better soon... Should I say much better ^.^), Lady Kaiba (I'll look forward to your story! *mutters something about crazy, addictive vampire fics*), YuugiLover3 (Yami Marik _is_ a vampire... In this particular story, I wouldn't have it any other way *smiles widely*), Sailor Comet (I think so too... Marik POV is now fixed if you want to read those few sentences I added there...), Dark Lady Setsuna (I think I will put him with his yami...), Naturi (thank you! I cannot believe how many people actually like this), Cyberkat (Good chappie? I thought it to be less than average o.O), highqueenofthegods (... Excuse me?), Jadesaber (Yugi'll find out eventually ^^ He kinda has to), MysticalGal (an occasional critic now and then is sorely needed... ^.^), kiyoko-chan (I think that in a few chapters his identity will be revealed. At about the time he arrives to the same city than the vampires), Silver Lily (this is one story I have decided to finish no matter what ^^), Silverdrake (oh, I'm having fun alright... *cackles*), Diamond (it is getting better? *blinks* what a relief!), Seventh Sage (oooh, you reviewed three chapters! A special thanks to you!). You should all know that without you this would never have gotten so far! *smiles widely*  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 7: Plans in Motion  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
Opening my eyes to the menacing darkness in my room, I couldn't but shiver at the cool air and the memories flooding my mind. They were overwhelming me... How could I ever have the strength to go on with my life? I didn't think I could, my mind was a mess right now. Perhaps I'd consider it later. But not now.  
  
I made a feeble attempt to draw the blankets over me, to get any kind of comfort I could from them. How could this happen to me? I had never done anything to deserve this... Surely not... I couldn't even cry anymore, I merely felt empty. Lifeless. I didn't react in any way as I heard a little shuffling behind me. _He_ was there. The man from before. Desperately trying to keep him out of my thoughts I started humming softly in my mind. It wouldn't do to actually voice the gentle tune, _he_ might not like it.  
  
I could feel him coming nearer to me, and because of this I managed not to flinch at the touch of his icy hand. Either it was that, or then because I hurt too much to move so greatly.  
  
//Do not think too badly of me, human. I must go now, but you should eat something. The blood loss has left you weak.//  
  
Again that voice in my head, no emotion scarred its icy surface. I heard him get off the bed and move around in the room. All the time I laid there, motionless, empty of all thoughts and feelings. How could I feel so empty... This wasn't natural.  
  
The small noises behind me stopped, the cause of them had ceased moving. Or then he had noticed how noisy he was and decided not to be - I could very well imagine _him_ having such abilities.  
  
//The pain in your body will stop in time. The pain in your mind perhaps never will. If you can forget, you should do it, no use fretting over something that is already past. See you later.//  
  
For a moment I could feel something immensely sad coming from him, then all traces of him were gone. I couldn't sense him anywhere near. Now I was able to relax my abused body, giving in to the tiredness I felt. Giving in to the chaos my mind was.  
  
Through all my self-loathing, my pain, the tears I could no longer shed, one thought kept haunting me, rising to the surface over and over again. I tried to keep it away, but failed miserably most of the time.  
  
How could I feel drawn to him after all he had done?  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
Yugi's tears slowly subsided to small sobs, his warm body pressed close to mine on this strange night of meetings. My second one out of the tomb... Had it really been such a short while when I first opened my eyes to this new time?  
  
I pressed my lips lightly on his forehead, trying to sooth away all his worries, even though I knew I couldn't help him in his doubts. I could merely be there, waiting for him to gain enough courage to accept all that was happening.  
  
His small hands were holding on tight to me, seemingly trying to squeeze me to death - of course, no such thing could ever happen, it was one more of those things humans used in their speech, meaning he held on very tight. Pondering absentmindedly on their oddness, I repositioned my hands a bit higher on his back. The blasted things had slid lower again without me noticing it.  
  
Yugi was falling to silence now, the uncontrollable shaking ceasing - of which I was really glad, it had made me feel... rather uncomfortable. He was now positioned on my lap, I had thought it a good idea at the time. Well, everyone's wrong now and then.  
  
//Ssshhh, little one. Don't cry anymore, it'll be alright. Don't fall to depression.//  
  
/Yami . . .?/  
  
//Yes, it's me. Not to worry. Should I take you home? I wouldn't want you to catch a cold or anything.//  
  
/Home sounds good.../  
  
He turned his face upwards, looking at me with curiosity.  
  
//Let us be on our way then.//  
  
I made as if to rise from the bench, but I was interrupted by the boy's words.  
  
"How...how is that possible? You talked to me, but I could swear your lips didn't move!"  
  
My body tensed up. Again I had slipped... Fate was cruel, she wouldn't let me keep my secrets from this young mortal. As I answered, to my own dismay I could hear my voice was lower and breathier than normally.  
  
"I didn't mean to do that, but do not be afraid. It is another one of my gifts, the one of mind-speech."  
  
Yugi shook his head wonderingly.  
  
"How many of them _do_ you have..."  
  
"It doesn't matter. Let's just get you home safely."  
  
I rose up, and lowered Yugi to the ground. He fell against me, his legs giving way in some bizarre momentary weakness. Catching him effortlessly, I was aware of how disturbingly close we were all the time. This did not bode well for my state of mind...  
  
"Will you be able to walk?"  
  
He turned his face away from me and nodded. Such sadness still in him... I hoped it would cease with time, but for now I was afraid shocking revelations would keep him in this state. Not letting go of him, we began to walk in the direction of his home. The journey was done in silence, neither of us quite ready to talk yet.  
  
I dreaded what would happen when the silence was broken, but it was equally worrying to think what would happen if it wasn't. The house I had visited last night was drawing nearer, I could already see it. Yugi merely walked forward, deep in thought. I glanced at him from time to time, to assure myself that he was really there, for I couldn't really believe it.  
  
Slowly we walked to the front door, Yugi finally raising his gaze from the ground, to stare at the door blocking our way.  
  
"Would you...would you like to come in?"  
  
My breath caught in my throat, I had hoped for this but even now I couldn't truly believe it. Squeezing him tighter to me, I tried to act calm.  
  
"If you want me to."  
  
Yugi laid his head against my chest for a brief moment before stepping forward and opening the door. He looked back at me, red-rimmed eyes pleading for me to do something. I didn't know what, perhaps even he didn't know.  
  
Gathering all the willpower I had left I stepped in and closed the door behind us.  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
Looking at the dark blue sky through the window of this modern office, I marvelled at how the artificial lights could so well cover the natural light of the moon and the stars. So much had changed, even though I had slept for a shorter time than the person who had once been my pharaoh. How confused _he_ must be.  
  
But now wasn't the time to brood on that. It was time to ascertain my own success in these times, that I could go back to the times when I could have anything I wanted, back to the luxury I had always lived in. This time I wasn't going to fail, and the challenge new systems and new, better security sparked my interest. But humans were the same. How much could all the new safeguards protect humans, when they were disabled, by the very same hands they were supposed to protect?  
  
I smiled slightly. Victory was already mine.  
  
And why I had chosen this corporation, among all the others I could have targeted? There is a very simple solution to that. This one caught my attention immediately, because it bears my name. Such a shock to see it, officially written in all the hand-outs and other papers. This truly was destined to be mine.  
  
The door opened, admitting a middle-aged man dressed in a suit, comfortable in his abilities as a businessman and feeling invincible. The leader of this soon-to-be-mine company. He was acting generous towards a man he thought he could benefit from in a profitable agreement, meeting me in person and offering me his hospitality.  
  
I couldn't care less, and after the usual welcoming rituals of these times, we sat down and went straight to business. In other words, _I_ went straight to business - messing up his mind. My goal was to gain control of this rich company, make it mine, snatch it from the hands of greedy mortals.  
  
In no less than five minutes his mind was taken over completely, and he was already signing the papers to ascertain a safe change in the hierarchy. They stated that I was his heir, the one who would take care of everything in the case of his death. The mortal wouldn't live 24 hours after this. And to make sure none would become suspicious of my sudden arrival, the papers were dated a few years back. The witnesses to this contract weren't any harder to convince than the former CEO. And none the wiser, my abilities haven't betrayed me to this very day.  
  
After all was done, I took to exploring my new home, the expensive mansion that was for now inhabited by this man who was dead - he just didn't know it yet. I would need to find a place to sleep during the day, either in here or somewhere else. The dusty tomb didn't satisfy me anymore.  
  
Regal and calm, I haunted the endless corridors of my home.  
  
---Unknown POV---  
  
I stalked the shadows of these ancient buildings, drawing fresh air to my lungs, cherishing every single feeling I was exposed to. The wind brushing past me on its endless journey in the infinite skies, the feel of the sandy rocks under my feet, the smell of burning wood and sweet human blood in the distance, the sounds of the creatures of night going about their daily chores.  
  
Quite surprisingly I came upon one human sitting on top of the age-old rocks, viewing the night-time skies with silent reverence. Watching him from higher above, I was fascinated by his smooth, dark skin and his rich clothes, raising within me a desire for his soul. I didn't really need the energy, but how long had it been since I last feasted on a vibrant soul? Too long . . . I couldn't count the years.  
  
Walking silently to him, I was careful not to be noticed. Mortals always were fond of their lives, the short, miserable existence they were given upon this earth. Was it not only right for me to feed upon them, as a lion feeds upon his prey? This was how it was taught to me, the ancient lore...  
  
Raising my left hand because my right was holding on to one of the precious sacrifices, I concentrated on this feast so conveniently set right upon my path and opened a channel to his energy. Immediately I could feel the soothing feeling of his soul yielding to mine, giving me its most precious - its life.  
  
I absorbed this new force, adding it to mine, and soon the pitiful soul withered away to nothing, leaving only a shrunken figure lying on the ground. Casting on myself the image of this prey, I walked onwards.  
  
My true prey was waiting beyond the seas. Those three had filled their purpose, it was time for them to move on in the great circle of life.  
  
Keeping my steady pace up, I walked through the deserted alleyways. Night was still young.  
  
---  
  
AN: My Yami POVs are getting shorter and shorter... I'll try to fix that in the future, but now I have to get the other parts of the story on the move. Dear god, Seto and Jou haven't even met yet *groans* And that was the first additional couple I agreed on... Tells something of how much I manage to delay things, that part should have been up a few chapters ago. And don't worry too much of the Unknown person. You'll get to know eventually who and what he is. Please review... 


	8. A Small Revelation

Yay! *jumps around in joy* I got over hundred reviews!! I cannot believe this!!! Thank you to all who ever reviewed! (YS: That's a lot of enthusiasm put to those words. Maybe you'd better take it down a notch.) S: Killjoy...  
  
_Enthusiastic_ thank-yous to Neko-chan (I really don't understand what makes my fic so 'original'! I'll try to post a bit more frequently now...), Angelina (... yeah), Sailor Comet (I thought I might add Mokuba to lighten up the mood a little bit. I'm no good at any kind of humor, but this fic's mood might need just a tiny bit of lightening...), crystaldraygon98 (^^ I'll add them in the next night, I think I've tortured Ryou enough for now...), Jadej.j (Yep! A good thing! ^.^), Nozomi (I think you're right... But this is an AU, so never mind. I promise I'll warn if I put in a threesome - which is very unlikely now), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (I'm sorry for the long wait!), Eeyaatoe (Pegasus? *thinks* Well, you'll find out later *smiles widely*), Jealous Vampiress (I think you're going to like this chapter and the next... You were one of the S/J requesters?), Dark Lady Setsuna (I'm glad!), Silver Dragon (Sorry to keep you waiting!), Lady Kaiba (I liked your new story! I haven't heard of that series, but then I haven't heard of many things...), Jadesaber (I'm back to Y/Y in this one *smiles*), Seventh Sage (lots and lots... I hope I'll have more time in the future to write this...), highqueenofthegods (...I'm not telling who he is yet... ^^), Lady Geuna (The triangle sounds interesting... But not in this fic. perhaps I'll add Otogi in some other connection), firedraygon97 (I didn't mention you? I'm so sorry!! Yami Marik is a different person than the unknown, if you remember from the Marik POV, he's already in the same city) and Chibizoo (ah, back from your vacation I see. I hope you enjoy this!).  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 8: A Small Revelation  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I sat in silence as the short mortal walked around the living room. He hadn't stood still for a single moment since we stepped in from the door, no matter what I tried to say to calm him down. He was simply too nervous to listen. Not that my own condition was much better.  
  
Fidgeting now and then, I wracked my brains for something more to say. I had already tried commenting on the weather, his clothes - that had freaked him out, and several other things that hadn't gone so well either.  
  
Sighing heavily, I stood up and followed his restless pacing to the other end of the room.  
  
"Why don't you just stand still for a moment?"  
  
The question was delivered in a frustrated voice, merely inches behind him. But it got his attention, he wheeled around and raised his head to look at me with wide eyes. Then I realized just how close we were, despite the difference in heights. Trying to sound calm, I continued.  
  
"I mean, it cannot be _that_ bad. You invited me here."  
  
"...I know. That is exactly what worries me. And I would be grateful if you kept your voice down, I don't want jiichan to wake up."  
  
Nodding slightly, I stared at him. Apparently it unnerved him this time, for he turned his gaze and blushed slightly. Sighing again, I took his hand and led him to the couch.  
  
"Sit. Your continuous pacing is making _me_ nervous."  
  
He complied silently, and I sat next to him. Too close, I noticed to my dislike. I seemed to have lost every single ounce of my uncaring exterior.  
  
"What now?"  
  
After a short, uncomfortable silence - filled with embarrassing thoughts at least on my part - I answered my own question.  
  
"Do you have any more questions for me to answer?"  
  
"Not really... That is, I cannot remember them right now..."  
  
He was silent again, leaning a bit towards me. Or was it just wishful thinking? Either way, too much silence and closeness, too little distractions. Just what I needed - and that remark was dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Does it not bother you?"  
  
Blinking at the small one's question, I turned to watch him.  
  
"Does _what_ bother me?"  
  
Hiding his face in his hands, Yugi answered with a hushed voice.  
  
"I mean, that we're both guys."  
  
...I should have thought on that earlier. Of course he would be uncomfortable with it. As a vampire, such things didn't matter so much anymore, and besides it felt good to be around him. But was there something else to this ease I accepted the turn of events with?  
  
"I think it doesn't."  
  
"So you knew beforehand? That you were g...g-"  
  
Smiling fondly, I touched his shaking shoulder. He couldn't even say the word...  
  
"I didn't."  
  
Well, perhaps I knew it, but didn't remember. But I failed to mention this, it would be too complicated to explain.  
  
"Look at me, Yugi... Please?"  
  
He slowly turned, dropping his hands on his lap.  
  
"It's not that terrible. Sometimes things just happen. I don't know what I could say to make you believe me, but please... Trust me, it's not a bad thing."  
  
Shaking his head, Yugi mumbled something I couldn't decipher. Awkwardly I reached for him.  
  
"Do not be afraid, Yugi."  
  
He sighed, leaning in to my touch. Bending my head so our foreheads were touching, I inhaled his scent - unintentionally making me more aware of the blood in his veins. But this I must come to accept, I thought. The craving would always be there, never quite leaving me at peace. Always wanting to feed from him...  
  
It wouldn't be so bad if he knew this, but of course I couldn't tell him. It would scare him, perhaps make him leave me, and the thought of never being in his presence was too alien to comprehend now. But if he knew he would be prepared for what might happen if my self-control ever slipped. He might even be able to help me.  
  
Two tempting choices... The other one tempting because of my fear, the other one because of my...attraction? I daren't call it anything stronger, not yet. Anything might happen.  
  
He was starting to cry again, wet tears welling up in his shining eyes. I didn't know what to do with him anymore, so praying whatever gods were listening that I wasn't making a wrong choice I captured his lips with mine, plunging my tongue deep into his unresisting mouth, trying to be careful with my fangs.  
  
Taking a better hold of his body, I broke my kiss just long enough to settle him down on the couch, laying down on top of him. I could feel his hands start to roam over my body - an action that my body craved for, but my mind feared. My rational mind was giving up, however, and all thoughts of ending this now, when nothing too serious had yet happened, were fleeing to some deep hole in my mind, where they would never be noticed.  
  
Moving my mouth from his, kissing my way down his throat, I listened, fascinated, to the little moans he made as my inhumanly strong hands were fighting with his shirt, as I wasn't quite ready to rip it off.  
  
Finally able to get it over his head, I marveled at the softness of his skin, raining little kisses everywhere I happened to feel like it.  
  
Slowly letting my hand wander down to his waistline, I was just fumbling for his belt buckle when I heard a strange noise. Immediately snapping my head to the direction of the voice, I saw a blond-haired mortal, somehow familiar. He was staring at us, eyes big as saucers, mouth gaping. He looked somehow battered, and blood stained his right hand.  
  
A little gasp came from the blushing Yugi.  
  
"Jounouchi-kun! What are you doing here?"  
  
I could ask the same thing. But in a way, I was relieved that he had come.  
  
The boy I now remembered had been with Yugi the previous night gave a little start, flushing.  
  
"Sorry... If I had known you were this busy I would have searched for shelter somewhere else, excuse me for getting a crazy killer after me."  
  
This immediately caught my attention.  
  
"Killer?"  
  
"Yeah, this strange, tall guy came out of nowhere and attacked me... Are you sure I'm welcome here? If I am, would you please even have the decency to put some more clothes on and get to some...less bothering position..."  
  
Looking down at Yugi, I was somewhat baffled by the turn of events. He looked back at me with wide eyes and red cheeks. I got up and handed him his shirt.  
  
"You have a big tendency to get into trouble, Jou-kun."  
  
Yugi was pulling on his shirt, so his voice was a bit muffled. I watched him, trying to keep calm. Gods, I wasn't even able to concentrate on a possible threat to all of us when he looked like that - amazed, embarrassed, curious, even a touch scared.  
  
"Well, I don't intend to."  
  
"If you all will just end this meaningless conversation, we could perhaps get to some more interesting things. Such as why are you in this house with that half-naked mortal. But I guess the answer to _that_ is pretty obvious."  
  
Jounouchi tensed and dived then towards us, hiding behind my back. Trying not to get annoyed with this mortal one my one-time comrade, I answered.  
  
"That is none of your business, Seto, stay out of it. And you shouldn't scare these boys. They are now under my protection."  
  
"Too bad. The fair-haired one would have made an excellent meal."  
  
He stepped forth from the shadows of the hallway, blue eyes gleaming in the dim light. He was smirking coldly.  
  
I glared at him. How dare he scare my little Yugi speaking like that?  
  
Then I realized it. Yugi... He had no idea what I was. Turning to him, I saw him staring at me suspiciously. One more hole in my shaky cover.  
  
---  
  
AN: Got you a bit hopeful there with Yami and Yugi, did I? *grins widely* Naaah, I wouldn't do that yet, too much has to happen before. But I _did_ get Jounouchi to the story! And he has met Seto too, so I hope you're not _too_ mad at me for making them interrupt... I'm thinking on this story to include seven nights in their time, I don't know how many chapters it will include, most nights will be shorter than this one. But seven nights sounds pretty good, don't ya think? Could also be less.  
  
And I'm really sorry how late this is... And I cut it short that I would get to posting it sometimes. I hope you'll review, please forgive me! *looks desperately at the readers* 


	9. A Slip of the Tongue?

Ummm... Hi! This chapter will contain the ideas I thought to write to the end of ch 8, but didn't have time to in order for it to get posted... So yes, it will begin with an 'unknown' POV... Usually it is in the end of the chapter. And a little development in S/J in the end of this chapter, about time I get it going!  
  
Thanks to Ru-chan (I'm glad!), PanDora (It really does get harder for him... He'll suffer from it a good deal in the beginning of the next chapter), Jadej.j (^^ Interesting things coming up next, at least I hope they're interesting), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (^___^ Oh, you noticed... I'm beginning to bore myself the way I write all my reviews, perhaps I'll try not to be so annoyingly cheerful. I love long reviews, so don't bother sounding so apologetic over it! I can't believe you think it good enough to re-read all the time, though o.O), Eeyaatoe (a hard time, yes... I'll promise it will get better for them soon!), Lady Kaiba (Oh, you will? Good! Sorry about the shortness, but it really had been too long since I posted last time), Dark Lady Setsuna (I'm cruel alright! ^.^ I have a tendency to make all the readers who like this suffer...), Seventh Sage (a little twist on revelations this chapter...), Neko-chan (but 'Sympathy For The Devil' is so good! Yugi will be a bit depressed after this chapter, but it will be alright... Oh, I'm so cruel *cackles*), highqueenofthegods (^^ you're so right), Kat (leaving you in suspense, am I? ^.~) and Jadesaber (that 'hole' keeps him worried for a time yet... I'm way too evil for my own good)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 9: A Slip of the Tongue?  
  
---Unknown POV---  
  
The cold night around me, wind soothing my burning skin, I collected information of this brave new time from the minds of sleeping people. So clueless, some even innocent. And for those innocent ones I had my task, for them I was hunting, for them and their children.  
  
This era of technology, new inventions, new ways of living, free opinions. I loved it already. Perhaps I could even stay for a while after my prey was down. But they were, of course, my priority. They were the reason I was awake.  
  
Did the old lore not state, 'even as the lords and ladies are unaware of the night, does the Hunter go after his prey, walking with the aid of the winds, warmed by the flames of people's hearts. He hunts for the forsaken ones, the crimson-clad, and the gods bless his quest'? There was no force powerful enough to make me forget those lines, even if my memories were otherwise very dim. Like faded pictures that have stayed in sunlight too long, and the rain has washed away all the colors.  
  
But my time for gathering the information was almost finished, I knew enough to be able to get about here. And I knew that I had to take either one of those huge ships or the 'airplanes' to get where I wanted to go. All I needed now was money, and it wasn't very hard to get. After all, they might think their fortunes were well guarded, but those guards were nothing for me. They owed me the means to get to my targets.  
  
---Marik POV - WARNING!!! He has a little suicidal streak! ---  
  
Sitting in my cold room, surrounded by the soothing darkness, I thought of this futile life and the pointless things most people did with them. So much pain, suffering and death, so much selfishness, pride and contempt. I hated them all.  
  
Feeling the slender length of the ancient rod I was given early in my life, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't think of anything else but my hatred and my pain. I slid the sharp blade in and out of its sheath, a small nervous habit I had developed a dozen or so years ago. It soothed me somehow, made me less depressed. But sometimes...  
  
Sometimes it just made things worse. I could remember the first time, I had been more depressed than ever before. I was playing with the Rod again, when feeling the sharp edge against my skin gave me an idea. I really hadn't thought on it back then, I did it. It felt good to have my mind off the things in my mind, to be able to concentrate on other stuff.  
  
Isis had saved me then, as she had saved me all the other times. I feared she would have to save me again this night. Nothing was wrong with it if you asked me, except that she had to see me in such a state. I loathed myself for bringing her such pain, yet I couldn't help it. I had to do it.  
  
I feared sometimes my mind had bent in some point. Surely I was crazy, I couldn't be held responsible for my actions. I would spend even days wrapped up in that sweet feeling that I was free, but then the reality would crash in. It was all my fault. I wished for release of it, but I couldn't be released. It was always there - the guilt, the pain, the depression. Even when they were farthest from me, in my happiest moments, they weren't very far.  
  
Looking at the blade with dull eyes, I could feel tears find their way out. I had to do this, even if it would solve nothing. Even if it would make me feel even worse. Even if I would regret it later.  
  
Pressing the blade firmly against my wrist, I started sobbing. When the sharp edge dug into my scarred skin, I could feel thoughts fly away. Now I didn't have to think anymore. Blood gushing out, I slashed again and dropped the Rod to my lap. Hazily pressing my wounded hand against my chest, I tried to breathe deep to stop sobbing.  
  
Then I could see the lights from the hall. Isis was here.  
  
"Not again, Marik. Why do you have to keep doing this?"  
  
Her voice was pained. She didn't understand, nobody did. She _couldn't_ understand. Rising from my bed, I took a step towards her healing presence, and collapsed. The darkness came, welcoming me back. I embraced it.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I guiltily avoided Yugi's suspicious gaze and turned back to Seto.  
  
"No need to speak like that here. You'll just scare them."  
  
"Are you sure that's not my intention?"  
  
"Seto, please. Not right now..."  
  
He stood there silently for a long moment, looking at me. Then he turned away, speaking in a low voice.  
  
"Can you still not remember? You are bringing about your own doom, being here like this. This is what you should be avoiding at all costs, dear Pharaoh. 'Bound to the night, bound to the blood..."  
  
---Flashback---  
  
"...bound to the endless starless sky. The Hunter seeks the lovers."  
  
I looked at the High Priest expressionlessly. What gibberish. How dared he waste my precious time like this?  
  
"You _do_ know that you're merely making me angry at you. To go through so much trouble to get these so-called prophecies. Get rid of them."  
  
"But sa Re [1]!"  
  
"No buts, Seto. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth until you have gotten over this nonsense."  
  
He looked sullen. What had made me trust him back then? I couldn't remember. Dismissing him from my presence, I got back to my favorite hobby - admiring my Items and making plans on how to use them. The opportunities were so numerous... I couldn't decide. But I had time.  
  
"Seize him!"  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
My head wheeling, I stumbled forward to catch that elusive priest.  
  
"Remember? I can remember berating you back in Egypt for caring about those particular lines. What do they mean? And what happened to me?!"  
  
I could hear my voice had a slightly panicky edge to it. I didn't care at the moment, the memories were overwhelming.  
  
"You brought about your own doom then, and I think you are doing the same now. You and that rash tomb robber, going about doing whatever you please. I haven't still located the guardian [2], but I have no doubt that he is doing something foolish, too. Sometimes I truly think those items do something to your sanity."  
  
Staring at him, I held tightly on to his hand so he wouldn't get away. Seto could tell me everything if he just chose to do so. And there lied the problem. He didn't want to.  
  
"Starting to feel a touch hopeless, Yami? Well, the life of a vampire tends to be hopeless. No reason you should be different from the rest of us."  
  
He broke free from my grip, and sat down on the nearest chair. I could but stare at him.  
  
"What? Do you truly think I would miss this show? The mortals heard everything. I would love to see you get your way out of _this_!"  
  
He laughed coldly. I didn't dare to turn around, in fear of what I might see in the face of Yugi.  
  
"I'm so sorry... I'm sorry."  
  
Taking a hold of Seto, I hauled him out of the chair, and spoke to the humans again, still not looking at them.  
  
"Please forgive me, Yugi. I must go. I won't bother you again."  
  
Dragging Seto - not that I really needed to drag him, but urging him onwards - I walked out of the house and closed the door. I leaned against it, exhausted. Why did all this have to happen to _me_?  
  
"Don't bother Yugi. That's all I ask of you. Leave him and his friends alone."  
  
"Life is hard, isn't it? I promise, I won't touch your precious mortal."  
  
After hearing his solemn promise, I walked away. Too much to think about, again. This time was way too complicated. Especially a certain person in it.  
  
---Jounouchi POV---  
  
Finally daring to breathe again, I looked at Yugi, holding my wounded hand. My friend was a nervous wreck, and he hadn't even had the worst of it. I would say getting attacked by some kind of a freak was way too worse, but who was I to say. I didn't know what had happened to _him_.  
  
"Are you okay, Yugi?"  
  
He didn't even glance at me. I couldn't blame him. How well had he really known that guy who looked so much like him? From the looks of it earlier, pretty well. Or then he was completely screwed up, doing something like that wasn't like him. At all.  
  
"Jounouchi-kun, could I ask you to leave? I...I really need to be alone to think about this."  
  
The plea was delivered in a low voice, almost a whisper. I sighed.  
  
"You sure? Maybe I could help somehow."  
  
"I'm sure. Please... Just go."  
  
I nodded silently, already walking out of the room. Some things needed to be went through alone, and this seemed to be one of them. Not that I myself was very calm about the whole matter, I mean - vampires? Who would have ever thought... I wondered if all the old stories of them were true.  
  
I went outside and stood still for a moment. The moon shone brightly, wind chilled the air. I heard it rustle the leaves on the trees, the hushed sound calming in effect.  
  
"It truly is wonderful, the night I mean. And don't even think of shouting, I can kill you in a second if you do."  
  
The warning was unnecessary, I couldn't even move from the shock as I felt his muscled arms wrap around me.  
  
"Now, let's not bother the short one any more, we can go somewhere else. Move on. I think you came from left."  
  
The tall vampire guided me onwards, not giving me a chance to protest.  
  
"The night has always fascinated me, I don't know why. Perhaps it's because of all the myths we had back in my youth. I would listen to them, unnoticeably of course, and marvel at what the human mind could make up. I never truly believed in anything but power... You could say even something, don't expect _me_ to keep up the whole conversation."  
  
I stopped, refusing to be led forward anymore.  
  
"A bit hard to get a word in when you blabber like that!"  
  
He looked down at me, and laughed.  
  
"Oh, so there _is_ some spirit in you after all! I love it when I'm right!"  
  
"Shut your big mouth for once!"  
  
I was quite literally fuming, trying to fend off his arms that encircled me, which were preventing me from getting away. He had stopped laughing, and now leaned down to look me in the eye.  
  
"Ahhh, so charming"  
  
Getting a little nervous, I doubled my efforts. He was getting uncomfortably near. Then he drew me nearer and nearly pressed his lips to my neck. I gave a little start and focused on pushing him away.  
  
"But you know, it is too fun to let the situation develop a little bit. You needn't fear for your life, but I would suggest that you fear for your sanity."  
  
His hot breath felt strangely good on my skin. Then he suddenly withdrew and walked away.  
  
"Suddenly I'm not hungry anymore. Go home."  
  
I was just about to yell something obscene to him, when he vanished from my view. Quickly I looked to every direction, but couldn't find him. Trying to get back to normal, I adjusted my jacket and obeyed him - much to my dislike.  
  
---  
  
[1] 'Son of Re (Ra)', the pharaoh  
  
[2] Yami Marik is referred to as 'guardian', mostly because I couldn't come up with anything else. The title will be clarified in the future flashbacks.  
  
That's it, people, the second night is done! Look for future revelations of Yami's past, hints on the identity of the 'unknown', some twists between our favorite couples and a surprising appearance during the next night! Please review! 


	10. Whispers of Night

I'm finally back! Do you want to know the joke of the week? Well, my friend doesn't exactly like Seto, and was ranting about it the other day. The thing is, she just went on and on, and then said: Seto Kaiba is _so_ gay. Unintentionally. I just looked at her for a while and started laughing... It might not seem as much now (or in English o.O), but it sure was fun then!  
  
Many thanks to Diamond (oh, I will! ^^), highqueenofthegods (errr... I don't think Yami will kill her... I don't exactly have anything against her), firedraygon97 (I'm sorry, I seem to write some sort of a cliffhanger in nearly every chapter...), Sailor Comet (Ryou will be in next chappie, Bakura in the next or the one after that... And yes, poor Marik. He'll show up in the next chapter again, if everything goes as planned.), Synchronized Love (I hope you're better now! I think Seto will surprise everyone before I'm through with him in this fic...), Jadej.j (I'll try to...), Seventh Sage (^.^ I feel so evil for what I did to them... This chapter is to make it up), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (Yep, evil me! ^.~ You haven't read the worst of Yami's past, dare I say), Neko-chan (oooh, I think I already answered everything you wanted to know. How odd...), Chibizoo (wow, you people are too good to me! Don't worry about the other characters, anyone else than the main couples and the Unknown will not show up that often, they are there mainly for future reference - see, I'm planning ahead just in case people want a sequel ^.^), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (don't I just annoy people with the endings of my chapters... ^^), Naturi (thank you! Egyptian vampire guys do seem to be attractive, especially if they are certain characters from Yugioh...), Angelina (ei niin moni lue toisten kommentteja...) and Jadesaber (I personally like that, too)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 10: Whispers of Night  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
Darkness. Again I woke to darkness, as I had woken for so many years already. Would there be light sometimes, or would I just eternally be damned to these soft whispers of night?  
  
And Yugi... I had completely screwed up last night. I had panicked, not even daring to try solving things, left everything as it was after Seto's revelation. I was merely a coward, nothing more. I didn't even deserve to try explaining everything to Yugi.  
  
Falling to my depression, first I didn't notice the familiar presence filling my mind. But when it registered, it managed to jolt me away from my moody thoughts. Could he really have...? Willing myself not to hope so greatly, I lifted the heavy slab of stone out of my way, and rose from the coffin I used during the day.  
  
And there he was, staring at me with a slightly confused expression, sitting on top of one of the other huge, stony boxes. His clothes were somewhat dusty - no doubt from searching through the tomb - and his violet eyes held a tone of sadness in them.  
  
"I...I just had to see you... I don't know why, but I had to. Please forgive me."  
  
"Nothing to forgive"  
  
I closed the coffin and stood next to it. I didn't know what else to do... This feeling of helplessness was slowly becoming familiar for me, so much I had gone through lately. I didn't know what he was doing here, and the uncertainty of it made me feel weak.  
  
But looking at him, I noticed that the little one wasn't much better off than me. He nervously twisted his hands on his lap and tried not to look straight at me - or the coffin. But he obviously wanted to.  
  
"Are you afraid?"  
  
"I don't know... Maybe. A touch."  
  
"You needn't be. I wouldn't hurt you."  
  
He stayed silent, still not looking at me. An uncomfortable silence enveloped the tomb, disturbed only by the sound of gentle breathing and to my ears heartbeats loudly echoing through it.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Sitting there, looking so rejected I couldn't resist him, he uttered that silent question that I didn't know how to answer.  
  
"...It's not exactly something I would want to spread around. And truthfully, what would you have done if I had told you? I didn't want to lose you so quickly..."  
  
He hid his face in his hands, curling into a sobbing ball. I didn't dare to go to him just yet, I had no proof yet he would want me anywhere near him.  
  
"Yugi?"  
  
"I...I don't know what to do..."  
  
He stepped down and came towards me, tears filling his eyes, talking in a hushed voice.  
  
"How can merely one person take this all? This has all been so sudden, I have no time to adjust to these changes! Friday began so well, I finally managed to piece together the puzzle that jiichan gave me such a long time ago, then I meet you and everything has gone crazy!"  
  
I could feel my eyes widen.  
  
"You didn't have the Puzzle as a whole until Friday?"  
  
I smiled widely. Now at least one mystery was solved, the Puzzle didn't obviously start using the powers it has until all the pieces were together! That must be why I woke up, the Puzzle started calling for its twin...  
  
Yugi looked at me in a confused way. He had his head tilted to the side, and looked so absolutely adorable I naturally went to him and hugged him.  
  
"What...?"  
  
"Without knowing it you just gave me an answer to a question that has been bothering me for a while now. Ever since I woke up, that is."  
  
With a questioning look from the little one, I explained.  
  
"I was asleep for a long time, I don't know how long. I woke up when you finished the Puzzle."  
  
"Why were you asleep?"  
  
"...I cannot remember. There are many things like that, I simply have blocked them out or something. I'm not exactly sure why, but Seto Kaiba said that it has to do with how I..."  
  
I trailed off. How could I say anything of my past to this innocent human? He seemed to understand my hesitance to speak of the matter, at least he didn't further inquire on the matter.  
  
"Do you still want to speak with Ryou-kun? He called and said he'd drop by this evening."  
  
"That would be good. I still have a few questions he might be able to answer."  
  
Yugi drew away from me, and starting to walk to the exit, he motioned for me to follow him.  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
Petty mortals bustled around me in their haste, thankfully leaving a small island of peace around me. Perhaps they thought I was grieving, the previous owner of Kaiba Corp. was supposedly a very dear person to me. So they left me alone, to silently observe them. I liked it.  
  
But I couldn't waste the whole night like that, so I eventually rose from the comfy chair and headed for the office I knew was located within this mansion. I had many things to take care of, to get Kaiba Corporation to operate was only one of the most important ones. But with a little searching I was sure I could find everything essential from the papers the previous owner left behind.  
  
I felt somehow odd, isolated, among all these humans. They seemed to go through the moment busily, caring only for the future, worrying about it all through the present. But me - I lived in the present. Sure, I had plans, but I didn't focus on them the whole time. It was important to me from time to time to let go of all of it, to watch the nights go by in their steady pace. In those moments I loved to think of myself as the observer of the passing time, the eternal watcher...  
  
Looking out of a window in the large office, I now scorned it. Eternal? Even vampires weren't eternal, we could die also. We could die very easily if someone who knew how to do it came along. And that was part of the fascination, wasn't it? But those individuals who knew how to do it, who knew we existed, were extinct now... I hadn't had a good fight for a long time.  
  
"So, you're the one who's supposed to look after me now... Seto, was it?"  
  
What now? I turned around and saw a little brat standing in the doorway. Regarding him coldly, I was going to tell him to go away, when I thought a little on his words. And then he stepped in, talking.  
  
"What are you going to do now, oniisan? Can I call you oniisan? I'm certainly not going to call you father, you're not _that_ old. And uncle is out of the question, too, I hate it."  
  
The short, annoying mortal walked boldly in to the room and sat on _my_ chair! Such a daring little creature, not many would do that...  
  
"Who are you? And why would I take care of you?"  
  
The boy didn't even glance at me, he started wheeling on the chair.  
  
"I'm Mokuba. And you are supposed to take care of me since you inherited the old jerk. You should be better at the fathering stuff than he was, otherwise I'll just go away, you know. And you'd have to blame yourself. But I'd hate to do that to you, you don't seem to be so bad."  
  
I looked at him, the sudden assault of words making me feel a bit nervous. I wasn't good with kids, and why should I be? It's not exactly common for vampires to have to get along with one, so I never bothered to pay any attention to them. I suddenly had a feeling that might have been a mistake.  
  
"Let us review this... You want me to take care of you? Are you sure?"  
  
"Hey, it's not like I'd have a choice in the matter... Can we go shopping tomorrow?"  
  
"...Why don't you just go to bed. We'll discuss that tomorrow. I have too many legal matters to worry about right now."  
  
"Booooring! Let someone else take care of them for you!"  
  
Despite his words he left, leaving me in blissful silence. Perhaps taking over this company hadn't been a good idea? Well, I could dispose of that Mokuba... But somehow I didn't feel like I should. So let him live for a while longer, I could always take care of that later if he turned out to be somewhat more of a nuisance than he was now.  
  
Besides, I could learn something from him, this had opened my eyes to the possibility that I might need even some kind of skills with children, as unlikely as it seemed to me at this moment. Yes, that's what I'll do.  
  
Satisfied, I started searching through the files for urgent matters. This would be a long night.  
  
---  
  
AN: Sorry, another long wait and short chapter... I should be able to post ch 11 in two or three days. Please review, everyone! 


	11. Mad Laughter

I managed to lose a favorite ring of mine yesterday -___- Damn. I should be more careful... I took up a big task and read the whole fic I've written thus far, and I was amazed. Did I really write all that? At least reading it gave me a few ideas that have been forgotten for some time.  
  
Many thanks to Lady Kaiba (Naah, it's all right! I hope this is quick enough for you!), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (Ryou shows up now, and there's a Ryou POV in the beginning of the next chapter), Naturi (yep, destiny! ^^ I just love to twist that word about!), highqueenofthegods (I think Mokuba will stay human... Much more fun that way!), tri (In one sitting? o.O now that is something...), Lady Geuna (actually the others haven't been asleep for a long time now... It will be explained further on. I put way too many explanations like that, don't you think?), Kou-Andrea (Do I see a little Mokuba-fan here? ^^), Dark Lady Setsuna (yep *rolls her eyes* school's a bitch), Seventh Sage (*sighs* depressive... I can't seem to turn this fic away from that direction...), MaidenoftheMoon (I love vampire fics too! They're just irresistible!), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (now you certainly put a lot of confidence in my abilities...), Sailor Comet (No more waiting, this chapter and the next one contain some R/B moments!), Jadesaber (^.^ Yes, it's kinda funny, isn't it? The big bad vampire getting all confused over a little kid), stupid kid 04 (so many people flatter me!) and Diamond (thank you!)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 11: Mad Laughter  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
My eyes were closed, I couldn't care enough to open them right now. I was too tired, despite having rested the whole day. Losing so much blood can do that to you, as I so well knew.  
  
I was at home, blissfully surrounded by quiet, not having to do anything, not having to think of anything. So peaceful for once. I needed it, for the sake of my mind.  
  
I don't know how long I had lain there, when I heard voices. They seemed familiar, but I couldn't make myself remember who they might be. I just listened, and waited for some kind of a sign - I don't know why.  
  
"I already told you, he's in no condition to see anyone!"  
  
"Trust me, he'll be well enough to see _me_. As I already told you, we go way back. Now let me through."  
  
"I will not."  
  
A short silence fell, during which I my mind started to slowly awaken. Wasn't the other my dear sister? But the other one... So familiar, but I couldn't place it.  
  
"I see. Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then you leave me no choice, Ishizu. You haven't changed at all, always doing what you think is best. I hope he'll not be too mad at me."  
  
I more sensed than saw a bright flash, after which I could hear footsteps approaching me. Then they stopped, and the door opened. I still hadn't opened my eyes, so I couldn't see him, but somehow I could feel that he was the same person who had attacked me earlier. I didn't quite know when it had been, as I didn't know how long I had been out. But it couldn't be very long. Besides, he knew my sister? But he hadn't said the name quite right...  
  
"Don't try to hide from me, you _are_ awake."  
  
I decided to brave answering the guy as I struggled to be fully awake.  
  
"Nice to see you too. What did you do to Isis?"  
  
"Nothing serious, she'll be up tomorrow."  
  
I could hear him walking, coming towards me. The footsteps stopped when he reached my bed. I could feel his gaze on me like an unseen caress. Slowly I turned my head and opened my eyes. He merely stood there, studying me from the shadows. It struck me as a miracle that I didn't feel nervous. I was calm, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  
  
"What are you staring at?"  
  
He laughed, and in that laugh I could hear an old madness, perhaps brought about by too many lonely nights, too much sorrow. A bit like me. But how good was I to judge those things?  
  
"Why, at you of course. It seems that the old prophecies have come true finally. This probably means that the Tomb Robber and the Pharaoh are somewhere around too, finally awakened from their sleep."  
  
His talk was complete gibberish to me. The words themselves were real words, but the things he talked about were a bit too much for me to handle right now. He seemed to sense this, and leaned over me.  
  
"Aren't you the least bit scared?"  
  
I stared at him. There was something odd about him...  
  
"Oh, you noticed? I'm a vampire, you know. You _should_ be afraid."  
  
A vampire? Now that I thought of it... To further mess up my mind, it seemed, he opened his mouth slightly and I could see his sharp fangs.  
  
"I don't care. Why are you here?"  
  
He seemed to be a bit annoyed.  
  
"You don't care? Now why is that? I could suck the blood right out of you!"  
  
"I just have this feeling you are not going to do that, otherwise you would have already."  
  
"How would _you_ know, I might like playing with my victims."  
  
Taking a hurt look on his face, he pouted. Pouted? That seemed weird coming from him.  
  
"You do not want to kill me, that much I know. And stop making faces at me."  
  
He leaned further and placed his hands on both sides of my head.  
  
"Oh come on. I wanted to make sure you hadn't gone and killed yourself, and this is what I get? Petty insults and questioning! I'm truly offended now!"  
  
He certainly didn't seem like it. I saw a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth, all the while threatening to get loose from his control.  
  
"Yes, and I'm the pharaoh of Egypt..."  
  
To my surprise he burst in to an uncontrolled laughter, nearly collapsing on top of me.  
  
"You pervert, get away from me!"  
  
I tried to fend him off, and managed after a little struggling to make him fall to the floor. He was laughing harder than before now, insanity becoming clearer in it.  
  
"What's so funny."  
  
He managed to stop laughing, instead of it he now giggled. Who was this guy?  
  
"Believe me, you're nothing like that stuck-up brat! I used to work for his father, you know. The almighty guardian of his treasures. Well, not all of his treasures, just some of them."  
  
The little speech was delivered in between bursts of giggles, which were slowly subsiding. Rising from the floor and leaning his elbows against my bead, he continued.  
  
"Now _those_ were interesting times. The young pharaoh managed to get himself and a few others - including me - to a very bad situation. You see, it's kind of his fault that I am what I am. I should thank him some day."  
  
He giggled again. Gods, did the guy never stop?  
  
"But you know, we're not formally introduced yet. You are Marik, are you not? You can call me Ishtar, then."  
  
I raised an eyebrow. He grinned in response.  
  
"I like the name! So what if I happened to steal it from you? It might even be my real name, for all _you_ know!"  
  
I was silent for a while.  
  
"Don't you have anything better to do than bother innocent humans?"  
  
"Innocent? I didn't think you'd have any innocence left."  
  
"Fuck you!"  
  
"No thanks, I'd rather fuck _you_"  
  
He laughed again, and I watched him, feeling blood rush to heat my cheeks.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I walked a short distance after Yugi, not daring to approach him despite of how well he had took everything. We were walking through the cemetery, heading to Yugi's house, where he said this Ryou had promised to come. Suddenly I heard a small rustle coming from the nearby bushes.  
  
I stopped, listening closely. Ah, they were birds. My hunger was fanned to a flame as I realized this. It had been too long since I fed. Taking silent steps towards the small creatures, I suddenly heard a human voice.  
  
"Yami? Where are you going?"  
  
The hunger had already consumed me so much that it took me a while to register who was talking. Then I quickly turned to him, trying to decide whether to tell him the truth or not. Remembering how he could feel if I told the truth, I blurted it out.  
  
"There are birds in that bush. I'm hungry."  
  
His eyes widened slightly and a nauseous expression came to his face.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Yet another uncomfortable silence fell between us.  
  
"I can feed later, if you feel so disgusted by it."  
  
Yugi looked at me, clearly unable to decide on the matter.  
  
"No... It isn't that bad, right? At least you don't drink blood from humans. Go ahead."  
  
I hesitated, his words were so full of indecision and even fear. Sighing deeply, I walked to him.  
  
"Let us be on our way. I can do it later."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes. I wouldn't want for you to have to watch it."  
  
"I can watch the other way..."  
  
His big eyes filled my vision, I was on the brink of leaning down to better be able to gaze into them. Quickly turning to look away, I urged him to walk forward.  
  
"It doesn't matter. What time did you say Ryou would be at your house?"  
  
"Around about now... I don't know why I even left when he was coming. But I had to come to you!"  
  
"I know the feeling. I know it very well, believe me."  
  
We hadn't walked for very long, when I could see a white-haired figure walking ahead of us.  
  
"Didn't that Ryou guy have white hair?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I just think he's right there..."  
  
Yugi looked, eyebrows drawn in confusion.  
  
"What's he doing here, his house is in the other direction!"  
  
He called for the boy, and the figure gave a little start. He stopped and turned to us. I could see a glad expression come over his face.  
  
"Yugi-kun! I'm so glad to see you!"  
  
As we walked nearer to him, I got somehow confused. Had he been that pale yesterday?  
  
"Are you going over to my place now?"  
  
"Yes, I thought to take a little walk before it. The fresh air is good to me."  
  
His cheerfulness sounded forced, and he was wearing a bit too much clothes for such a warm weather. A turtleneck?  
  
"It is. Do you remember Yami?"  
  
"I do."  
  
He glanced at me warily. Why would he be nervous?  
  
"Yami? Is something wrong, you're behaving so distantly..."  
  
The pieces clicked in my head, and I reached to Ryou and pulled the concealing neck of the shirt down. The sight made me take a few steps back.  
  
"He bit you, didn't he?"  
  
Two pairs of big eyes looked at me, the other pair wide with confusion, the other with fear. Then there was a sudden feel of doom and the white-haired vampire stood behind his human version, wrapping his arms around him.  
  
"So I did. Really tasty, you should try it sometimes."  
  
He laughed, holding on to the frightened boy tightly. I stepped forward, and the demonic vampire held up a hand.  
  
"Stop right there! Not one single step closer, or the boy's dead."  
  
I could only grit my teeth in frustration, drawing Yugi closer to me that he wouldn't be so horribly vulnerable to the other vampire.  
  
"Oh, how sweet! The pharaoh has found a boy to satisfy his desires!"  
  
He cackled and disappeared, with Ryou in his arms. I was left standing there, trying to swallow my anger at him.  
  
Yugi was at tears over his friend, and I could do nothing about it. The tomb robber was too powerful, he had human blood flowing in his veins. His powers had grown past mine... This could turn out to be very dangerous indeed.  
  
---The Hunter [1] POV---  
  
I sat at an airport, waiting for my next flight to be announced. I had already flown here last night, and now I had better determined the place where my prey was. I had a feeling of them, they were somewhere in the east from here, but the problem was that my ability didn't give me exact information.  
  
I would just have to go with it, narrowing the space they could be in. My next stop would be in China, in some city I couldn't be bothered to remember without checking my tickets. They couldn't escape me for long.  
  
But if I only had the rest of the sacrifices I had been given in the beginning of my true existence... But no, I had been foolish in my youth and shared them, and now they were lost to me. But no matter, I could get along with what I had. I sat and waited. I had time to find them, plenty of time.  
  
---  
  
[1] I decided to change 'unknown' to 'hunter'. It kinda describes what he's set to do - at least better than the previous 'name'. And not to worry, you'll get to know his identity in due time...  
  
AN: ^^ Wow, nearly three pages of Marik! *giggles insanely* Aren't I good? I never thought the scene to turn out that long... If the next chapter isn't up by tomorrow, I think you'll have to wait until the end of the week. Not to worry, these long intervals between updates won't last long, just until I get out of school in the beginning of February. Then I'll have plenty of time to write! Please review!! 


	12. A Willing Victim

Hi! This must be a miracle, I wrote the beginning of this chapter when the last one wasn't even in the Net... *laughs* I somehow felt very productive! And actually still do... Perhaps I should try writing chapter 13 in the same row o.O  
  
Big hugs and thanks to Silver Dragon (oh you missed them? That happens sometimes, and it's always as irritating...), Chibizoo (too fast? I think it is more like too infrequently. Enjoy the new chapter!), Lady Date (well well well, have I managed to infuriate one more person? ^.~ aah, I feel so evil...), firedraygon97 (yep, actual school ends then but it's more like a vacation for the rest of the semester that there would be enough time to read for the final exams... They happen to be in March... *tries not to panic*), Neko-chan (you still like it, I see!), highqueenofthegods (oh you just wait for what happens... ^-^) and Sailor Comet (*giggles* Nooo, I don't think he's gonna keel over. ..But could be very close ^^ Some more R/B in this chappie, and probably even more in the next...) ...I have a feeling there was much less reviews than before... What happened, people thought I wouldn't update so quick? Did it suck so bad? Oh well, there's a long (~5 days) wait for the next one...  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 12: A Willing Victim  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
I had closed my eyes before, and was now blindly being taken somewhere. I tried to find what comfort I could from the vampire's grip on me, he held me tightly.  
  
Not long after, I felt ground under my feet again, and sighed in relief. His way of journeying made me dizzy.  
  
"Now what were you doing with the pharaoh and his brat? You are _mine_ if you haven't noticed already!"  
  
A small shiver went through me at those words. His? I didn't mind it as much as I would have thought before... I had had the whole past day to think about what happened, and had somewhat calmed down.  
  
"What the heck do you think you're doing?!"  
  
I looked towards the origin of the words, and sure enough, Jounouchi-kun was standing there. I wished he didn't always find the worst moment to show up.  
  
"Don't interfere with the business of vampires, puppy. Even though the vampire happens to be an over-possessive thief."  
  
The owner of the voice was a tall, brown-haired man, from the looks of it another vampire. I was shoved to the ground.  
  
"Gods, what is this, a general meeting place? Can't an honest vampire have a moment of peace to talk with the one he's going to feed on?"  
  
"If you lay a finger on him, you'll be sorry!" [1]  
  
"I merely meant that he isn't exactly a thing you could own. The days of slavery are past, you know."  
  
I was lifted roughly from the ground and pressed against my replica's chest. He was yelling at Jounouchi-kun and that other vampire.  
  
"When I say he's mine, he's mine! You have no say in the matter!"  
  
I flinched at the loud words, burying my face in his shirt, supporting myself up by wrapping my arms around him. I whispered so silently I thought no one could hear me, at least not over the yelling.  
  
"Please, not so loud. I'll come with you."  
  
Suddenly the yelling stopped. I tensed, and decided to risk a glance upwards.  
  
True enough, he was staring at me, and from the silence behind me I determined that the tall vampire was doing the same. Of course, Jounouchi- kun didn't have the keen senses of a vampire so he was ranting of something in the background, but I didn't listen. I was captured in those eyes that glowed a fiery red, those eyes that had haunted me all through the past day.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
The low voice sent shivers down my spine, and as a helpless puppet I answered.  
  
"I asked you not to yell at them. I'll come with you..."  
  
I didn't fully comprehend the extent of my words, but from his expression the vampire holding me was very aware of the meaning behind them.  
  
"You are willing, huh. Well that's a surprise. Let's go then!"  
  
With that he lifted me up and moved again in that swift way that I knew was impossible. In a moment we were on the front door of my house. Nervous anticipation filled me.  
  
"What? You want _me_ to open the door?"  
  
I shook my head, and dug my keys from my pocket. Then I froze.  
  
"What is it now?"  
  
I nervously gestured to him.  
  
"You are still holding me. I cannot get to the door."  
  
We looked at each other for an agonizing moment, and then he set me down. I opened the door with shaking hands and held it open for him to enter.  
  
He rolled his eyes and pushed me in, carefully closing the door after him. He looked out of the small window in it, as I stood next to him, wanting to bolt. I wasn't exactly sure if this had been such a good idea...  
  
He glanced at me and smirked arrogantly. Yes, now I knew it had been a bad idea. But somehow I wasn't scared anymore.  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
I looked at the spot the two nearly identical boys had occupied a moment ago. How long _had_ the Tomb Robber been awake? He wasn't exactly open to others, I hadn't managed to get anything out of him during our last meeting. But that level of strength couldn't be gained but with extensive blood-drinking along the centuries.  
  
And that strength came with a price - the longer you stayed awake the greater the risk of losing your mind. Judging from his behavior it might already be too late for him to recover to his former self, whatever it was. He had always been something of an enigma to the rest of our little group, as long as it lasted. Our group... Too many memories were associated with those words.  
  
"Where the hell did they go?"  
  
Those words jolted me out of my moodiness. Trying not to grin, I remembered the reason I originally came here. I had followed the human called Jounouchi again.  
  
"I think that it's none of your concern. They seem to be getting along just fine. Not that they'd have a choice in the matter."  
  
My thoughts dwelled for a moment on those odd words the human boy had said. But it wasn't really anything I should worry about, so I cast it out of my mind.  
  
"But that freak was -"  
  
"None of your concern. Do not think of it if it bothers you so."  
  
He looked angry - because of me? Could be just that the human boy was his friend, and he didn't like the way he was treated.  
  
"Don't you care at all?"  
  
I looked at him silently for a small moment.  
  
"It doesn't matter what _I_ think of it, puppy. I cannot change their destiny."  
  
"Stop calling me a puppy! ...What destiny?"  
  
I grinned slightly, marveling at his courage.  
  
"The one that was written in the old ages, back when we all were still human. It doesn't involve you, so be at ease."  
  
I took a few steps to his general direction, and he stubbornly refused to move away even though I could sense he was very nervous. Perhaps even scared. And what reason would he have not to be?  
  
"But he is my friend, I can't just leave him like that!"  
  
"You'll have to. There's nothing to be done now. It was already too late when he was born."  
  
He looked guiltily to the direction we had last seen the white-haired pair, and I took the opportunity to get closer to him. He gave a little start and looked up at me, his brown eyes capturing me in the smallest moment it took me to register this action.  
  
"Do not worry, little human. I promised not to kill you..."  
  
I lowered my head so that my lips were nearly touching his, trying not to let any of my emotions show on my face. I was loathe to admit it to myself, but this boy had made me fascinated of him, maybe I even cared of him. Perhaps this was the result of too many lonely centuries? To crave for the closeness of a warm body after so long?  
  
"Should we move on to our own business?"  
  
I laughed when his eyes widened at my words. This was truly entertaining, no matter what my garbled mind made me think I felt for him.  
  
I drew him closer to me, savoring the scent of his blood overwhelming my senses. It would be so easy to kill him right now, but that was the challenge, wasn't it? To _not_ to kill for a change? Very much aware of how his heartbeat had quickened, I let my lips wander down his throat.  
  
So tempting... Taking a deep breath, I marveled at his smooth skin.  
  
"So you're not going to kill me? How odd, I thought vampires would suck the blood out from their victims' throats."  
  
His voice had an edge of hysterics in it. I made myself release him, and he immediately stumbled backwards, nearly falling in his haste to get away from me.  
  
"Oh, but you enjoyed that, didn't you."  
  
Taking one last look at his blushing face, I laughed coldly and disappeared from his view. That's what it would look like to him, but I merely moved too fast for him to see. With that came a nagging thought that the Tomb Robber could do it better than me.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
"Yugi, you do know where Ryou lives, don't you?"  
  
He looked at me with teary, confused eyes.  
  
"Of course. You don't think they would have gone there?"  
  
"I don't know, but we should do everything we can."  
  
He nodded, but didn't move.  
  
"That vampire... You know him, don't you?"  
  
"I think so. At least I used to, back when I was still a human. But we weren't very close."  
  
Yugi looked down, thoughtful.  
  
"You were a pharaoh, weren't you? How did you come to be a vampire?"  
  
I was about to answer, when I realized that I didn't remember. But there was something there... It was just behind a frail curtain, if I could break it...  
  
---Flashback---  
  
I woke to darkness. It was cold, the stones beneath me radiated it. What had happened? The last thing I could remember was someone yelling, and a sharp pain in my head.  
  
Raising a hand to touch the back of my head, I felt something wet. Blood. Fury filled me, who would dare to touch me like that? Those responsible for this would die a slow, painful death!  
  
A door opened near me, and I could see the light of torches reach the dark room I was in.  
  
"So the little brat has awakened. Good, you shall be taken to our queen now."  
  
"I demand you to release me right now!"  
  
"Oh, so you have a voice too. Get real, there's no way you will get away alive."  
  
The man laughed cruelly, and ordered some other men to make sure I followed. Of course I tried to resist them, but to no avail. Our way took us through dim corridors, lighted with only the occasional torch. I could see glimpses of people, somehow odd people... Very pale ones... The whole place reeked of old death. Where had they taken me?  
  
Finally we reached huge doors, and the leading man opened them with a respectful knock. I was shoved in, and the doors closed, leaving me to the big room. Was that a throne in the other end of it?  
  
"Welcome, young pharaoh. I am Amenhotep, the queen of this dark realm."  
  
I could see a female figure walking slowly towards me, appearing from amidst luxurious curtains. I didn't see her clearly, her face was shrouded in shadows.  
  
"I'm sorry for the way we must have treated you. But that was necessary, you would never agree to our goals."  
  
"What goals? I am the pharaoh of Egypt, I demand to be returned to my palace!"  
  
"It is not that easy. We need something from you, and this is the easiest way. You can never go back to your old life. Forgive me, but at least you have the honor of being Turned by me, not some commoner. This will be your only solace in the nights to come, I fear."  
  
I blinked, and she disappeared. Before I had time to completely comprehend what I had seen - or rather, not seen - I felt arms wrap around me from behind. Slender, female arms, somewhat pale and very cold.  
  
"Be at ease, this will not hurt much."  
  
Then the skin of my throat was pierced by sharp fangs, and I could feel my blood flow out, only to be captured by the tender mouth of who I now realized was the queen of these creatures.  
  
Strength left my limbs and I would have collapsed if not for her supporting hands on me. As she drank my life away I couldn't think, and the only thing I could feel was her warm mouth on my throat.  
  
It didn't feel so unpleasant, merely foreign. It didn't hurt but in the beginning when I first felt her fangs, now I was numb. Slowly my consciousness started drifting away, and soon I was engulfed in sweet darkness again.  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
I collapsed to the ground as the memories of my transformation hit in. I could hear Yugi's voice in the distance, but it was so far I couldn't make out the words he was saying.  
  
Gods, this was like being Turned all over again! Horrible coldness came, and then it started ebbing away again. I could feel the ground beneath me again, and the normal sounds of the night came to my ears instead of the last beats of my mortal heart. I gulped in the chill air, glad that I still could do that despite all that had happened. Holding my head in my hands, I opened my eyes to the new time, where Yugi was worried about me.  
  
"Yami! What happened?"  
  
My first attempt to speak failed completely, but then I could answer him.  
  
"Nothing serious. Just memories. Everything is fine."  
  
"No mere memories could do _that_!"  
  
"Oh trust me, they can."  
  
He looked at me with a concerned expression.  
  
"You are not fit to face that vampire that looks like Ryou-kun. You are obviously too weak."  
  
I felt like I had betrayed Yugi with my behavior. I tried to claim otherwise, but he cut my protests short.  
  
"And you still haven't fed."  
  
He looked around, suddenly uncertain.  
  
"What _do_ you eat...?"  
  
"No, Yugi. You don't have to. Go home, I can hunt by myself."  
  
He sighed deeply and shook his head. I was surprised when he came closer to me and gave me a hug. Burying his face in my chest timidly, I heard him mumble.  
  
"But I need to accept _you_. And being a vampire is just one part you, it needs to be accepted too! How could I ever be with you if I only lied to myself of what you are? How could I ever survive with you if I turn away every time you have to feed?"  
  
I closed my eyes when I heard those words. Two emotions were battling inside me, one saying I should let him do what he wished, he obviously cared for me enough to do something like that, the other saying I shouldn't let him come, he was too innocent and pure for me to taint like that.  
  
"Yugi..."  
  
I guess he heard my hesitation, because he got up and dragged me to my feet, too.  
  
"Don't you dare to say no, I'm coming with you!"  
  
I nodded hesitantly. How could I do this...?  
  
---  
  
[1] Am I the only one who's reminded of Hikaru from Rayearth by that line?  
  
AN: So, I managed to finish it after all... I didn't think it would be possible, surely my inspiration would leave me at some point! But no, I have written 17 pages during three days now. What's up with that? Please review people!!! 


	13. Bloodsuckers

Ookay, lets do some math. I got over 100 reviews in chapter 8... And passed 200 reviews 4 chapters later. Whoa. That's lots of reviews, I'd say! Did the little notice of so few reviews in ch 11 have something to do with how much I got in ch 12? Well... I can't seem to make up any other reason for it, but that's just so...odd.  
  
Many hugs and thanks to Black-Magic-Spellbinder (I have high hopes that from now on I'll be able to update more frequently), Ru-chan (*smiles widely* yep, Marik's just so great, isn't he?), Jadej.j (ooh, lots of things happen next ^^), Silver Dragon (yep, it seems you didn't miss that one. I myself am surprised at how quickly I sometimes write...), Yami Tenshi (B/R coming right up! All the couples except S/J are included in this chapter), firey jazz (*thinks hard* I still don't get how this is so different of all the other vampire fics...), Sailor Comet (drifting? Yeah, I kind of see what you mean by that. I'll try to fix it!), highqueenofthegods (you really like Amenhotep? Now that's a surprise... I didn't think anyone would), Diamond (thank you!), firedraygon97 (*thinks* you know, I think my ideas just pop to my head whenever I start writing... At least I don't think on the plot any other time than when I write), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (lemons? *blushes* Weeellll, I'm not so sure about writing them... I'll keep it in mind, though), Lady Kaiba (my 'as soon as I can' hasn't been really quick of late, but it will improve as of now!), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (ehhh *sweatdrops* you certainly write long! And review many chapters! I don't know what you should review about, though, you have made a good job so far, why don't you continue as before? ^^ *blinks* oh, and sorry about the wait...), Silver Lily (^.~ oh yes, a suicidal Marik is very interesting!), Lilliana (oh you really think so? *tries not to burst from joy*), Neko-chan (well, I personally don't think it to be so great, but whatever you say ^.^), Jadesaber (... okay, this isn't really soon, but whatever), Dark Lady Setsuna (*eyes widen* I think your review is pretty hard to answer O.o), Kerena Darklight (thank you for your compliment!), Jade Indigo (what part exactly is confusing you? Maybe I can shed some light on it ^^), Seventh Sage (*laughs* oh don't kill off my Ishtar, I'd run out of things to write if he wasn't there to meddle with things ^-^), MaidenoftheMoon (nope, 'hunter' isn't the queen, 'hunter' is a he. And yes, there was regular Marik and his yami talking... oh, and the plot? Well, you see the hunt kinda _is_ the plot... not all of it, but most O.O), Dyslexia (I will continue, no matter how infrequent my updates have been of late -___-), Slice (hey, you were the one with the cool story *smiles widely* delicious story, yes... ^^), FluffCat (thank you!), Phoenix (it seems too many reviews this time I can only answer with a big 'thank you' ^.~), Naturi (I've been thinking of letting Yami drink from Yugi... It might come to that eventually, with some delicious side effects!), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (^^ What more can I say...), Gothic Angel Sierra (oh yes, poor Yugi... He'll have to go through some pretty hard stuff in this fic...) and Betrayal (send vampire Yami after me? *is silent for a moment and then smiles widely* oh yes! Yes! Please do! ^.^)  
  
Ooh, those answers take up nearly a page x.x And they took almost an hour to write.. . At moments like this I wonder why I even bother. I thought that it would need some clarifying, so here's a little notice to readers... Marik means the regular Marik! His yami is referred to as Ishtar! It just seems as if some people didn't get it yet *mumbles something*  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 13: Bloodsuckers  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
I sat on my bed, trying to retrieve the peace of my mind. The vampire - a vampire? How did I manage to get messed up with something like that? - sat on the floor next to my bed, looking at me with intense eyes.  
  
"You know, I suddenly have a strong desire to feed"  
  
I turned to him, my breath catching in my throat. He had threatened me with that earlier, and even though I felt like he wouldn't hurt me, who could be sure with a madman? For a madman he surely was, there was no doubt of it in my mind. Ishtar - that was the name he had claimed - rose from the floor and leaned towards me.  
  
"Surely you wouldn't..."  
  
"Why? After all, I don't have to kill you. Perhaps you will even enjoy it... Don't worry, I'm pretty good at estimating how much I can drink to leave you alive. Give me your hand."  
  
I looked at his serious expression, and scuffled a little way away from him.  
  
"I won't."  
  
He sighed deeply, like _he_ was the victim here. Which was completely ridiculous.  
  
"Don't be such a coward. Give me your hand, Marik."  
  
Slowly, inevitably, my mind began to bend to his point of view. What would it hurt, he _said_ he could stop, didn't he? He seemed to notice my hesitation, and grinned.  
  
"That's it... Just give me your hand, and I'll take care of the rest."  
  
I couldn't remove my eyes from his at this point, it was like I had been hypnotized or something. To my horror my hand twitched on the blankets, sliding to his outstretched one.  
  
His grin widened, and with the way his eyes were glowing, he looked madder than ever. But truly, what was madness? A difference in the normalcy that was all around us in _normal_ days? But wasn't it just natural to have something different, and it made life exciting, too...  
  
My fingers touched his tentatively, caressing the dark skin. He laced his fingers with mine, drawing my hand to him. I watched, wrapped in an unnatural calm.  
  
He looked at me, suddenly serious, and raised my hand to his lips. Shockingly, I felt the sharpness of his fangs against my wrist along with the softness of his lips. But they didn't draw blood, merely touched the skin over my veins. I felt how his warm breath touched the tender skin, actually making me want something more. How could I have let this happen?  
  
His mouth traveled along the skin of my arm, inevitably reaching my shoulder, and from there to my throat. I gave a little start when he stopped for a moment and made as if to bite me, but then his mouth continued its journey to my mouth, effectively blocking anything I might have said.  
  
His tongue darted out and licked passionately my closed lips - closed mostly because of the shock having him do this caused, if I had had time to think on this, I might even have kissed him back. As it was, he drew back, and I could see him grimace.  
  
"This is no fun this way! I'll come back when you feel a little better, you'd better be ready then"  
  
I was left to stare at air as he vanished, and I could hear footsteps from the hall, and finally the door closing. It wasn't until then that I remembered Isis, but my mind was in too much turmoil right now that I could have done anything about it. And Ishtar had said she would be fine.  
  
I took a more comfortable position and - amazingly - drifted to sleep.  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
I smirked at the boy standing timidly next to me. From the outside, I was myself, whatever that was, but in the inside I was in turmoil. I really hadn't expected the human to say what he said. I _really_ hadn't. And that made me nervous.  
  
I had thought him to be just one more ordinary victim, someone to play with and then discard, but even when I sank my fangs to his throat I had doubted myself. Was this really necessary? Was it right to do something like this? I had never thought on these topics, and why I had begun now? Because of one human boy I couldn't cast out of my mind. He was there, all the time, making me think. Making me ponder on the injustices of my life, all the wrong I had done to people along the millennia.  
  
What gave me right to do all that?  
  
For all that I had done, was this to be my punishment now? To be captured by a pathetic human, ensnared in his mind, his odd behavior, the way he looked almost exactly like me... The fact that we shared the Ring...  
  
And now I had done it again. Gotten all wrapped up in my thoughts, not paying any kind of attention to my surroundings. The human looked at me, worried. Sneering in contempt with myself, I snapped at him.  
  
"What're _you_ staring at?"  
  
His eyes widened, but then he shook his head, and looked hurt. Now what I had done? The human crossed his arms and stared at me intently. Then I noticed it... he wasn't the least bit afraid anymore.  
  
Taking a deep breath, I tried to fend off the warm feeling spreading all over my body. He wasn't afraid? But how could that be, everyone was afraid of me... At least everyone had been, for such a long time that my memories of the time before were nearly forgotten, laying somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, collecting dust. What need could I have of them? At the moment I was deeply regretting ever letting the knowledge of how to deal with unafraid people float away from me.  
  
What could I do now? Everything I did was based on that fear my prey so easily was consumed in, I didn't know how to behave...  
  
"What are you going to do now?"  
  
The calm voice jolted me out of my thoughts. I had done it again, drowned in those disturbing things going through my head.  
  
I didn't answer him, except by walking closer to him. In fact very close, our bodies were almost touching. I felt the heat he radiated, his fragile human heart beating in his chest. He must have felt how cold I was, the danger he was in, yet he didn't move. Looking at him very carefully, I licked my lips, looking for something to say, or do. Could I simply follow the path I had taken the last night...?  
  
It wouldn't feel right.  
  
"What have you done to me, human?"  
  
"I haven't done anything. All you are going through has been brought upon you by yourself."  
  
"Really? Then why don't I believe you?"  
  
"Perhaps you're afraid."  
  
I leaned towards him, taking him into my arms. He placed his hands on my chest, and I suddenly felt really nervous. Trying to shrug it off, I brought my lips into contact with his throat, feeling the veins carrying the essence of his life pulse beneath them.  
  
Finding the little scars I had made last night, I pressed my fangs through them tasting once more the sweetness of his blood, and the bitterness of his memories. Oh yes, the contrast, that's what made it so alluring. On one side I was overwhelmed by the taste, flying somewhere far away - perhaps in heaven, while the other side of me went through the pain and hurt of his memories, weighing me down from my heights, pulling me to hell.  
  
Taking a deep breath I fought down a persistent urge to drink him dry, and bit my own tongue. I wouldn't leave scars this time, it just wouldn't be right. My blood would heal him.  
  
Licking the last drops of the crimson liquid from his throat, I pulled him even closer, and whispered to his ear. I could feel him shiver as my hot breath tickled his sensitive skin.  
  
"I am never afraid, you remember that. You are mine."  
  
I withdrew, my mind going through the possibilities staying with him would offer, but determined to leave him alone for now. As I opened the door, I could hear him whisper something.  
  
"Everybody is afraid sometimes. And if I am yours, then as surely you are mine. Do not try to deny this, I can feel it."  
  
Slamming the door shut behind me, I walked to the distance, needing to be anywhere else but with him right now.  
  
I was his...  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
Glancing nervously at the human walking silently by my side, I tried to figure out a way to get out of this. I couldn't do it, to drink blood from something while he was watching. I could understand his reasons, but were they really enough?  
  
I sighed deeply, not able to smother the feeling of wrongness.  
  
"Yami..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Against all hope, I wished Yugi would let me free of this snare. I simply couldn't do this, completely impossible.  
  
"You're wavering, aren't you. Perhaps you should think it this way: if you cannot even do this, then what else will you run away from?"  
  
"What would be so important that I couldn't leave it out? I woke only a couple nights ago, it's not like I would have had time to make enemies. Bakura isn't so hard to handle, and neither is Seto."  
  
"I... I just have this feeling that something's going to happen soon. Like someone's watching me all the time, watching _us_. And it isn't pleasant."  
  
I wasn't about to say it to him, but I had the same feeling. But I hadn't thought it to be important enough, with all the other stuff that was happening. And the old prophecy? It clearly stated that someone _was_ coming after me, if Seto was right and it referred to us.  
  
What would it change? ...Nothing. I still didn't want Yugi to see me feed. The said human stopped and sighed deeply.  
  
"Who am I kidding. You're obviously not up to doing it."  
  
Somehow his words were the most offensive thing I ever heard. Why was he doing this to me? I couldn't do it, and that's it, he shouldn't put me through this torture. I didn't have to stand still and watch him pity me.  
  
"Think I'm a loser, do you? Well I got news to you, I can do whatever I fucking well want to!"  
  
I could feel my eyes get all red from the rage that was suddenly welling inside me, drowning all logical thought. How dare he...? I opened my mouth so that my fangs were visible, and advanced on the short boy. He merely stood there, dazed. Easy prey.  
  
Lifting him up so his throat was in easy reach, I sank my fangs to that inviting, soft flesh. Hot blood gushed to my mouth, and I swallowed it, the first drops of human blood I had had in ages. But in my rage I didn't think on this, I only thought of my hunger, letting the instincts of a predator take over.  
  
His blood was life, that's the only way I know how to say it. Pure life, flowing into me from his wounds, raising memories I knew I didn't want to have.  
  
I tried to push them away, but didn't manage to do it, and was helplessly washed away in the tide of blood.  
  
---Flashback WARNING: bloody violence and a cold-minded vampire---  
  
I had been a vampire, a filthy bloodsucker, for a few weeks now. I had killed to satisfy my thirst, I had pretended to be a good little boy and did everything the queen asked me to. And still they hadn't stopped guarding me. I couldn't get my revenge on them by myself.  
  
And for this reason I was pacing back and forth in my little chamber, trying to make up a plan of some kind, when I was interrupted. The door opened to reveal Bakura, the tomb robber I had ordered to be executed, and a dark-skinned man. I had seen him before, wasn't he hired by my father to do something?  
  
After the shock of seeing them burst through the door, I realized the thing that most bothered me. They were both vampires now.  
  
"What...?"  
  
The tomb robber shut the door quietly, and the other vampire made shushing motions.  
  
"Not so loud, we mustn't allow anyone to find out that we're here!"  
  
"Do not worry, pharaoh. We want to help you, despite of you being the reason we now are what we are. And other things. The queen really picked the wrong persons to anger."  
  
I grinned. This was turning out quite well, after all.  
  
"We have everything planned, we just couldn't contact you earlier. Wanna kill some of our kin?"  
  
The one with darker skin laughed. The white-haired boy I had thought to be gentle laughed too, sounding crueler than him. I couldn't help it, I joined them. This was going well, indeed. Nothing could stop us, if the others were even somewhat near as strong as I.  
  
---Time lapse---  
  
We made a fine sight, marching along the tunnels of this maze vampires had made their home. I was leading our little group, the blood of my 'guards' staining my hands. Killing other vampires was more satisfying than I had thought, it brought such a sense of accomplishment that nothing I had ever felt before surpassed it.  
  
The other two, who I had now named 'Tomb Robber' and 'Guardian', were walking after me, wearing nearly identical grins on their faces, droplets of vampire blood all over them.  
  
Hunting, searching, killing, we stalked the dim tunnels, leaving nothing but death after us. We enjoyed it immensely, letting go of any fragment of humanity we had left, burying it in the deepest recesses of our minds, thinking only of one thing. Revenge.  
  
And then we reached the doors to the chambers of one who called herself queen, Amenhotep. I reached out with my mind and slammed the doors open, striding in with the two others flanking me, guarding my back, you might say.  
  
I immediately saw her, graceful and beautiful, but cold, rising from a soft bed covered with silk and her latest victim dead at her side. Walking up to her, I snarled ferociously. She was the reason I was now doomed to live in the night.  
  
"Your rule is over, darling."  
  
I had barely time to see the sudden fear in her eyes, when I reached out my hands and ripped her head off. Savoring the coppery smell of her blood that sprayed from her neck and stained me, I raised her head so her eyes were level with mine.  
  
"Too bad that you tried to mess with me, you were a clever person. Well, perhaps not so clever, you _did_ try to mess with me after all."  
  
I laughed and threw the pale head away, turning my attention to her floundering body. What a fool. I grabbed a table and smashed it to pieces, providing me with nice, sharp stakes. After a small well-aimed thrust, she was no longer.  
  
"Okay boys. Lets head to the palace, I want my Items."  
  
---Time lapse---  
  
Finally. It's been too long, my precious treasures. Don't worry, I'm right here, I just need to get through that door...  
  
I didn't care that I sounded like a madman, perhaps I was at the moment. We had just arrived to the room that held my Items, I was just nearing the door, when it opened and the High Priest stepped out.  
  
Hissing in rage over the delay, I immediately pounced on him, holding his arms tightly to his sides so he couldn't struggle and sinking my sharp fangs to his throat, searching for that liquid I knew to be the reason for my tonight's behavior. I was immediately awarded with a strong flow of it, and the beat of the priest's heart quickened, pumping more blood out of his throat and into my hungry mouth.  
  
When I felt the flow start to diminish, I gladly dropped his body and stepped over it.  
  
"But weren't you and him friends or something?"  
  
"Whatever"  
  
"Do you want him to be changed then?"  
  
"As long as he doesn't get in my way"  
  
Snarling at the delay, I saw how Tomb Robber and Guardian glanced at each other and then bended over the priest. It didn't matter, I wanted my Items.  
  
I walked into the room, and looked around. Where? Not on the table at least, it was empty. But there wasn't any other place they could be...  
  
Nearly shaking with my anger, I turned to face the three beings behind me, and addressed the priest.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
Bakura glanced at me.  
  
"He's too weak to speak yet. Give him a little time to adjust to the blood we gave him."  
  
Impatient, I walked out of the room to the corridor, and checked if any humans had been attracted to this area. No, no one was visible - not yet at least. But any moment now we could be attacked by the pharaoh's guard, and I doubted they would hesitate to kill me for what I did to them on the way here. Well, they _had_ been on my way.  
  
"Sa Re..."  
  
"What? Speak up, man!"  
  
Seto took a deep breath, trying to adjust to his new senses, new way of living.  
  
"The Items... They were stolen. They left a note, it was signed by some Amenhotep."  
  
"Amenhotep?"  
  
I could have howled of anger right then. She had taken my Items? She hadn't deserved the swift death she had had.  
  
Tomb Robber and Guardian glanced at each other.  
  
"It is certain, though, that she doesn't possess them anymore. We had considerably more freedom than you did, and we took the most out of it. If she took them, she must have given them away right away."  
  
"I agree, Bakura. Could those rumors about some kind of a vampire who feeds on people's souls actually be true?"  
  
"Then we truly are in great trouble."  
  
It didn't matter to me who had my Items, I was going to get them back.  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
I dropped Yugi's body, the weight of it was suddenly too much for me.  
  
No... I hadn't. Certainly not...  
  
Dropping to my knees, I felt bloody tears fall to my face as I reached to Yugi. He was bleeding still, I needed to stop it. I dropped a few drops of my blood on the small wounds my fangs had left on his throat, and settled back to make sure it worked.  
  
As the wounds closed, Yugi moved a little.  
  
"Yami?"  
  
I was crying openly now, barely able to answer with a voice that was now thick with tears and fresh blood.  
  
"Yes, little one. I'm here, even though I shouldn't be. I never meant to do this!"  
  
He reached out a hand and placed it on my knee.  
  
"I know..."  
  
His voice sounded terribly weak. I loathed myself for this, and somehow I knew that no matter what anyone said, I couldn't ever forgive myself.  
  
"I'll take you home. You're in danger if I leave you here like this."  
  
Gathering the strength that came from his blood, I took him to my arms and started walking, tears still flowing from my eyes.  
  
---  
  
AN: ehh... *sweatdrops* I didn't mean to do that to them... But at least the chapter's long... Dun hate me people! Everything will be fine once I get down to mending this. (Y. Shenya: Oh yes, and pigs can fly!) *screams* Aaaaah!!! Run, it's a ghost!!! (YS: Very funny.) ...Well, you haven't shown up for a really long time, what was I supposed to think? *mumbles something rude about untrustworthy yamis* Did you know that if I manage to write about four chapters in a week, I'll have this fic finished in four weeks? What an odd thought... (YS: because you've never finished any story?) *tries to ignore a certain pestering yami* Please review! 


	14. The Eye of the Web

Oh wow, more wonderful reviews... (Y. Shenya: as if you didn't get them before) Okay, now we've reached the fourth night of the story, and are nearly half-way through. *thinks* I'm amazed... As a little hint, there's lots of action during this night. In the timeline this is the night beginning on Monday, and new moon is drawing near. New moon, the time of death but also new beginnings...  
  
As a little side note I forgot to add the 'hunter' to the 13th chapter. Yay, go me -___-; But do not be fooled by this note, the POV in this chapter is still during the fourth night.  
  
Many thanks to Ru-chan (*sighs in relief* it's good that people didn't freak out because of the last chapter), highqueenofthegods (^^ I take it you liked it), Black-Magic-Spellbinder (I love plotting on those flashbacks... It' actually interesting to figure out what should have happened that they have turned out like they are in the 'present day'), Lady Kaiba (got a bit messed up with all my exams in the beginning of the week... I hope it wasn't too long a wait), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (it really made a great image, didn't it? Oh, and he was _supposed to be_ heartless, it was back then...), Jadesaber (you thought he would? Strange, up to the moment of writing it, I thought Yami would stay in his decision O.o), RndmFnFcWrtr (oh, thank you! *huggles the reviewer*), Neko-chan (^.~ and here I thought I'd get bashed for that chappie), Seventh Sage (I seem to have a bad habit of reading depressing fics too...), Dark Lady Setsuna (*glares at FF.Net* I hate it when it does that. More R/B coming up, I seriously need to get all those couples together soon), firedraygon97 (oh, rest assured, it will be coming soon enough *grin*), Lady Geuna (^.^ The couples will get on the way soon), Yamis Girlfriend (I can't believe that either... Such a cruel thing to do! O.o YS: But you're the author! S: So what?), Slice (M/I will get very interesting during this night...), Chibizoo (I think I agree with you on those reviews...), MaidenoftheMoon (*big grin* oh yes, it _was_ kinda surprising...), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (yeah, the flashbacks have been pretty confusing most of the time. But now I can settle to filling the rest of the gaps), Diamond (Cookies! *grabs them and starts to gulf down* YS: oh boy. Never give her sugar), Silver Dragon (oh yes, he's not gonna get far with that kind of behavior), Naturi (...harmony? I don't think I'd be capable of writing such for long. Perhaps in the distant future ^^), RogueMoon (there's that 'no cliches' speech again... I really don't understand you people, I feel like I've included every possible blunder ^~) and r*a*d*i*a*n*y (one more review cut short -___-; That is so annoying... oh well, I love those long reviews of yours!)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 14: The Eye of the Web  
  
---Hunter POV---  
  
Oh yes, very near now. Very near indeed. But while I couldn't just yet get to my prey, I had another thing to do right now. One of those that had once been mine was somewhere even nearer, in fact in the very same city.  
  
Which would it be? I couldn't quite make it out... It didn't matter so much, the important thing was that it indeed _was_ here. And I would get it, possess the power once more.  
  
The waning sickle of a moon shone in the sky, but it was hard to see because of all the lights they had in this city. I was nearly used to it by now, the way humans lit every place they were in nowadays. So bright, it reminded me of the sun I hadn't seen since I accepted my mission all those years ago.  
  
But no, no time to dwell on those memories, for now I had a chance to recover some of my power. The tall building housing it loomed in front of me, a big lump of metal, stone and glass. I merely walked in, shrouded by my abilities, not worried if anyone actually saw me or if they tried to stop me. This was justified.  
  
Long hallways, covered by luxurious carpets, anonymous doors dotting the smooth walls now and then, endless flights of stairs and elevators here and there. I had arrived to some kind of an office building. No matter, the power would once again be mine.  
  
I walked on, searching for that which was essentially a part of me, I followed the winding hallways, climbed the stairs and finally, finally arrived to a door. The metal plaque announced it to be the office of Pegasus J Crawford, but the name said nothing to me. Neither did it matter.  
  
I opened the smooth door and went in, the cool of my mind for once broken in anticipation of once more holding the Eye.  
  
A silver-haired man sat behind the table, looking up from his papers as I approached him.  
  
"I thought we were closed"  
  
I didn't grace him with an answer. Mortal affairs were not worth taking notice of, and my attention was on his face. There it was, finally. For what reason the man had taken up the use of the Eye, I didn't know, but now it had more pressing matters to serve than anything this mortal might do with it.  
  
"I am sorry, but I need it. It shall be given back to you once the mission is accomplished, but no sooner. Be glad that you didn't steal it, otherwise you'd be dead already."  
  
Giving him no time to think on my words, I gathered the powers of my mind and took a firm hold of the Eye with them. Getting it out of his head was no hard task, but unfortunately he started bleeding badly.  
  
After wavering for a small while, holding the Eye in my free hand, I decided to pity this mortal and gave him a trickle of my life-force, thus healing his wounds.  
  
Leaving the human unconscious, I walked out, not having anything else to do with him.  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
It was night again. Would he come back? I truly hoped so, but the way he had left last night didn't serve to assure me of his return. But surely he would...  
  
I don't know what had happened between us, but I felt like I couldn't live another day without him. To have such feelings... It was strange. One moment you're living your life as always, the next it is filled with vampires, especially a certain white-haired one. He wasn't gentle, far from it, and what he had done that first night was something I wasn't able to forget, but maybe I could forgive?  
  
I didn't know, and the possibilities surrounding me were confusing. Surely I would wake up any moment now and notice it had all been a dream... Could one feel so intensely in dreams? Probably not, but I felt so distant from the life I used to have.  
  
Walking ahead, I tried to save myself from drowning into these thoughts. I seemed to have a weird urge to walk a lot these days, it somehow calmed me. And it provided me with plenty of time to think on what I was doing... Not that it made much sense even when I thought on it. Or perhaps because of it.  
  
I don't know, but this uncertainty was eating me alive. How could I get used to normal life again, if such an opportunity presented itself? Would I even want to...?  
  
The answer came to me, when I suddenly felt a familiar presence. There was no way I was going back!  
  
Turning the corner, I saw him. Looking as good as the last time, and pissed off at the cops talking with him. What trouble had he gotten himself in? Gathering the courage I never knew I had, I walked up to them, and took a hold of the vampire's arm.  
  
"There you are! I've been searching for you!"  
  
He looked at me, eyes widened a fraction. Surprise? Did I even see a touch of fear? Must be my imagination.  
  
"You shouldn't leave me like that, who knows what kind of people I could walk to this late at night."  
  
"So you know him? In that case would you be kind enough to answer a few questions, as he is somewhat...reluctant to speak to us."  
  
"Well of course, officer!"  
  
I could very well imagine what the two policemen had received for their questions. Fighting a little smile, I tightened my hold on the vampire's arm, and looked questioningly at them.  
  
"There's been a murder, a young girl has been drained of all her blood somehow. Someone fitting his description was seen with her. Do you happen to know his whereabouts about two hours ago?"  
  
I tried to look innocent, confused, and most of all trustworthy, but cold settled in me. Of course, he was a vampire. No big deal, it was his nature to feed on humans. No big deal.  
  
"He's been -"  
  
I didn't continue, for the officer's face was now somehow...blank. The other policeman had the same vacant expression. I licked my lips, uncertain as to what I should do.  
  
"Walk. We shouldn't be here when they wake up."  
  
The strong arm that was suddenly draped around my shoulders pushed me forward. I complied, and tried to throw those two out of my mind. Nothing I could do about it.  
  
And here I was again, held by the vampire, a fly caught in a spider's web.  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
I glanced around. The hallway was blessedly empty. He wasn't here. Walking ahead, relieved, I neglected my other senses, and because of this he managed to catch up on me.  
  
"There you are... Don't try to run away from me! Where did you disappear for the whole frickin day?"  
  
"Watch what you're speaking, little one"  
  
Grimacing, I stopped and waited for Mokuba to catch up on me. There was no helping it now, I had to deal with him again. What a bother.  
  
"So, where you heading? Can I come too?"  
  
"You can't."  
  
"But niisan! I'm bored... And you didn't answer my first question"  
  
"That's because you don't need to know. If you're bored, you can always go to sleep, or find something else to do than pester me with it"  
  
The little boy grinned mischievously.  
  
"Well now, you're more fun than anyone I've met before. Nobody dared to stand up to me"  
  
"Then it's time somebody does. Now go, I'm busy"  
  
"Only if you promise I'll get to be with you tomorrow"  
  
"Whatever. Go"  
  
I resumed walking, and he shouted after me  
  
"I'll hold you on to that!"  
  
I really didn't have time to fool around with him right now. I was going to feed now, and then would be time to pay a little visit to Jounouchi. This night would hopefully turn out to include some fun...  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
One more awakening. But now as I slowly rose from the sleep I fell into during the day, I didn't smell the familiar dustiness of a tomb. Where was I?  
  
The memories crashed in once more, leaving me dizzy. Oh yes, I was in the basement of Yugi's house. It had been too late to go somewhere else when I had finally given the approaching morning some thought, and had been forced to stay, even though in my self-loathing I had wanted to go somewhere else. Maybe even into the sunlight.  
  
No, I couldn't do that, and leave Yugi alone. Not with that feeling of doom hanging over us. And as I thought this, the feeling intensified. Coming closer? No, not at the moment. Just getting stronger. My eyes narrowed as I contemplated on this.  
  
If it would grow much stronger, I was sure I couldn't win whatever was coming. Maybe not even with the aid of other vampires.  
  
"Yami, are you awake?"  
  
I jolted away from my musings, worried about the short boy that looked so much like me.  
  
"You shouldn't be up, you know."  
  
"I just wanted to see if you're awake. The sun is setting, the last rays of light still glow in the horizon."  
  
As I know it would be. As it had been for a very long time now.  
  
I got up, and walked to Yugi. He seemed a little pale, but I sensed nothing that wouldn't go away in a few days if he was careful.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
I could understand his closemouthedness in this matter. I still couldn't believe I had fed on him last night, even if I had been angry. Was my promise so easily broken? But since I didn't remember what had made me decide not to drink from humans, did it really matter? Or was my crime even greater because of it...?  
  
Trying to shrug those questions away, I lifted Yugi to my arms, and started walking up the stairs to get to the better lit areas of his house. More sensing than seeing the disagreeing look on the little one's face, I answered his unspoken protest.  
  
"I told you, I'm not letting you exhaust yourself. I brought this on you, and I will damn well make sure you survive it too."  
  
He resigned to his fate, acting like it was a big bother to him, but I couldn't but notice how he snuggled close to my chest and a tiny smile lit his face.  
  
How come he wasn't afraid of me? Why didn't he hate me? Too many questions, and not enough answers. My life seemed to be that way since I woke from my long sleep, if it could be called a life. Perhaps death would be more appropriate term?  
  
---  
  
AN: Whoa, so the 'hunter' is definitely not Pegasus... Are you curious yet? You should be able to figure out who he is with everything I wrote in this chapter. It's not that hard to guess, you know. I have a feeling that part about Mokuba was completely useless, and way too short besides. Perhaps adding him was a mistake... The POVs in this chapter are all too short, and the action I promised this night to contain was nowhere visible -___- Great. Perhaps better luck next chapter. Please review! 


	15. A Vampire's Thoughts

Ack. Not much to say, this time. Ummm, enjoy? Oh, and it seems getting four chapters in a week was gross exaggeration... I really shouldn't make such claims when I know I can't live up to them.  
  
A hundred thanks and hugs to Lady Geuna (^.^ really?), fdkj (hn. Well, reviewing tends to be forgotten...), little maiden (I don't think I'll reveal this just yet), Slice (I think that something of that nature is coming in this chapter ^^), Dark Lady Setsuna (R/B fluffiness in ch 16, coming up...), Silver Dragon (It won't be revealed just yet. But soon, very soon.), Lady Kaiba (I'm still waiting for the second chapter... Although I should go and check if you already posted it), Chibizoo (^.~ Not much to add on that...), highqueenofthegods (Mokuba a vampire? o.O I don't think it fits him), Jack V. Briefs (Thank you so much!), Seventh Sage (...sorry. I just seem to cut it too early -___-), firedraygon97 (if I recall correctly I said M/I would be during this _night_. Oh well, it's in this chapter anyway), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (...are you actually thinking me to be nearly as good as SSJ Sky? *faints* Y. Shenya: *poke poke* OK, now who's supposed to write the rest of the answers?), SSJ Sky (truthfully, right now I don't know whether to laugh (you like my story?! OO) or cry (I'm convinced that none of what I wrote to you made any sense. The result of trying to write English, read French and speak Finnish all in the same time early in the morning...)), Diamond (thank you!), Naturi (Should I tell? naah, you'll have to wait a few more chapters), Neko-chan (...okay, you were right. YS: *glares at Neko-chan and Shenya* now what you've done?!), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (well, on the original story I really don't know so much either), SilverLily (Grandpa? *laughs* now _he_ would make an odd hunter! ^^) and Princess Strawberry (weeell, couldn't be...)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 15: A Vampire's Thoughts  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
Strange inventions these people of the modern times had. When we had reached his room, Yugi had immediately begged me to turn on the 'radio'. Of course, it had taken me a while to grasp the concept of it, and finally Yugi had gotten bored and reached out to push the little button. Coincidentally, I had found it just then, and our hands had touched. After all that had happened between us, how could one little touch have such a big effect?  
  
Little sparks of excitement still tickled my hand, minutes after the contact. Minutes that had been spent in an awkward silence, the radio singing those modern songs of theirs. But somehow touching they were, those songs.  
  
As I now sat there, on the edge of the little one's bed, I listened more closely to the lyrics of one particularly dark song.  
  
"...wanted a heart, wanted a soul, more than anything else in this world. But we are doomed, body and soul marooned, I would never give in. Just like the moon does, we rise'n'shine'n'fall, over you that I rise'n'shine'n'crawl, victims aren't we all..." [1]  
  
Could it be any more accurate? We are all victims, of ourselves, of the world, ensnared in our own scheming, desperate to get out. And the only way out that I could see was death. Perhaps there was a better world in the afterlife, but somehow I doubted it. When had I abandoned my old faith? I didn't know... But there it was, the sadness, the fury that threatened to take over me. Such conflicting emotions, yet the same.  
  
"What are you thinking?"  
  
The little one's voice was once again my savior. Yet I knew that the voice that was now youthful and bright, full of life, would once be old, tired, empty. That is how it goes, isn't it? Except for us, the vampires, the hunters. We would stay the same throughout the centuries, watching, sometimes even craving for that sweet death that we delivered so easily to these fragile creatures.  
  
"Nothing"  
  
But how could I save Yugi from being old? Not by making him a vampire, that was sure, for if he was turned, he would lose that sweet innocence that seemed to linger around him no matter what, he would be like me then. Having to feed on the blood of others was no life, I couldn't give him such a fate.  
  
"Don't give me that, Yami. You certainly are thinking _something_!"  
  
I turned my full attention to him, the boy lying there on the bed, looking at me with those big amethyst eyes. I couldn't do that to him, to make him lose that innocence. Or could I?  
  
Shrugging, suddenly uneasy, nearly horrified, I laid down close beside him. His widened eyes were now level with mine, regarding me with curiosity, hope? Couldn't be hope, something else.  
  
"Life. Death. How fragile the mortal lives are, despite everything."  
  
He reached out to me and touched my face. Taking a deep breath, I once again marveled at his soft skin, and the scent that was him.  
  
"You think too much"  
  
"When you have an eternity in your hands, you tend to be that way"  
  
I turned my face and kissed his palm, desperate for forgiveness, for a small pause in my endless thinking. For I agreed with him, I truly thought too much. It just messed up my head.  
  
Yugi looked at me, his gaze steady on my face, questioning, pleading, demanding me to do something about the helplessness that threatened to consume both of us, perhaps to take our minds off the impending doom we felt.  
  
I closed my eyes, unsure as to what I should do.  
  
---Ishtar POV---  
  
It was time again. Here I come, sweet little child of this new, bright time, you'd better be ready. And don't you dare to have harmed yourself again!  
  
As I moved, glided, flew through the darkening night, I could feel our doom come closer. It had been there for some time, alerting me to the fact that I might not have much time left to do anything. For even if the Pharaoh didn't remember the prophecies and what he had done, I did. I remembered too well, in my opinion, the passing millennia hadn't managed to wipe away all those memories.  
  
In fact, I remembered it all, and it greatly bothered me sometimes. They haunted me, so I was unable to sleep, I couldn't do it. To fall to that long sleep every vampire needs would be a blessing, but I couldn't do it. Why? I didn't know, and I knew that I should sleep. No matter, it was already too late, I could but go on with what I had.  
  
Mad, madder, maddest, me. I knew that I could be seen as one big lunatic, but so what? The best of people never were completely sane... Right? Or am I just making excuses to feel better of myself?  
  
No matter, I would be dead in a few days anyway. But the time I had left, I wanted to spend as well as possible, and that meant going to this new me, the human who still hadn't screwed up his life as well as I had screwed mine. _He_ still had a chance to live, and I was determined to see that it stayed that way if I had to beat the knowledge into him.  
  
Well, I was sure it wouldn't come to that, easy to make such a promise, not so easy to keep. I was pretty sure that despite my great acts I couldn't bring myself to harm that human seriously. Drink some of his blood? Any day, I as sure that his blood would be one the sweetest thing I ever tasted, but harm him otherwise? Now that would be questionable.  
  
I arrived to Marik's house, grinning ferociously. What fun would this night include? The anticipation kept me on my toes, brought some excitement. And excitement was always good, too little of that these days. Nothing quite made you feel excited when you were invincible.  
  
Well, invincible as far as anyone else but that one destined to kill all of us was concerned.  
  
Deciding not to think on it any further, I went in.  
  
"Oh, Marik honey! Where are you?"  
  
I giggled insanely as I felt his presence start moving towards me. Such a sweet young boy he was, answering my call.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
"Nothing"  
  
Trying to stifle the silent giggles, I moved behind him faster than he could see and wrapped my arms around him. Whispering to his hair, I felt a familiar craving rising inside me.  
  
"So what are we going to do tonight?"  
  
I could see he was fighting a blush, taking a deep breath before answering. Oh this was going to be so fun.  
  
"I wouldn't know, you're the one who keeps insisting on stalking me"  
  
Shaking with silent laughter, I slid my other hand lower on his body, hearing a sudden intake of breath as a result. Very satisfactory. But I wasn't expecting what he did next, for everyone was usually either afraid or disgusted - or dead - at this point of knowing me.  
  
He turned around, smirking, and spoke on a low, breathy voice straight to my ear.  
  
"Well, I think we can easily figure out something to do, now that I think of it."  
  
The next thing I knew he pressed his soft lips against mine, begging for entrance with his tongue. Shocked out of my wits, I complied, and was immediately rewarded with a deep kiss that threatened to rob me of all air.  
  
Not of the kind to let events rule over me for long, I quickly regained my senses and tightened my hold on him. So he thought he could actually have the upper hand on this? Oh he was so wrong. I took a few steps forward, crushing him against the wall in the process. This nicely let my hands free to explore over him with no worry of him getting away. All I had to worry about now was not crushing him, humans were such fragile creatures, and my powers were strong even compared to other creatures of the night.  
  
Such a daring boy he was, to be around a mad vampire, even more so to kiss that said creature. In all my thousands of years I hadn't met someone like him...  
  
New and exciting, this was, possessing all the qualities it would need for me to experience something different, something that would actually jolt me out of the depressing every-night routines. Not that I could enjoy those routines much longer anyway.  
  
I felt Marik's slender fingers dig into my back as I forced my tongue deeper into his mouth, feeling the firm muscles of his stomach with my other hand. Our passionate moment was interrupted by a shocked female voice.  
  
"Marik?! What are you doing?"  
  
I broke the kiss and glanced at the sister of my precious mortal. Not worth notice right now... She didn't wield the power she used to. Grinning slightly, I set down to kiss the tanned boy's throat.  
  
"Oh. Isis. Ummm... A bit busy right now, as you can probably - Oh for... Ishtar, cut it off!"  
  
Just burying my face deeper, into the hollow of his neck, I continued tasting him - if he wanted to chat, he could do it during the day, during the night he was mine.  
  
"Right"  
  
I could practically see how she looked at me with wide eyes. Okay, so maybe I wasn't exactly normal, but who cares?  
  
"Why don't you go somewhere else than the hallway for that"  
  
I agreed, so I lifted the look-alike of mine to my shoulder, and turned to face her. Then I noticed something... She was holding one of _them_ in her hands. How could she possess one of them? It seemed she _could_ be as powerful as she was, she just didn't want to. Or didn't know how?  
  
"You know, you'd better be careful. The one who is coming after us will be looking for that. He won't bother with Marik, I have the original Item, but he'll search you out if he ever senses that thing near."  
  
I felt Marik sift so that he could look at my face, and Isis regarded me as she probably would some complete lunatic. I glanced at her one final time before moving to Marik's room. I had no time to worry about such things, not at least when I had this sweet mortal waiting for my attention.  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
Why would he do that? Was he really trying to help me?  
  
I walked on with my arm draped around Ryou's shoulders, glancing at him every now and then. He had been silent for a long while now, and it made me... nervous. As much as I hated admitting it.  
  
After his quiet words last night, I had been thinking... Thinking so much that my poor head felt ready to explode. Could it really be true, what he said? Suddenly the mortal by my side sighed deeply and stopped.  
  
"It's no use. You're obviously not going to change."  
  
I blinked down at him, surprised, suspicious even.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know, I just..."  
  
He was biting his lip, carefully averting his eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest, and as a whole he was a picture of someone who didn't know what to do.  
  
"It hurt, you know."  
  
Amazed, I looked at him. Was he referring to what I had done that first time we met?  
  
"And you're bringing this up because...?"  
  
"Why does it have to be so hard... To move on. Perhaps forget all about you"  
  
I raised an eyebrow. So now he wanted to forget me, did he. Well I wasn't about to be forgotten that easily.  
  
I raised his chin, looking deep into his eyes. Perhaps something of an exaggeration, but I really wanted his attention now. After last night, I didn't truly think it would come to this...  
  
"Now listen to me, you..."  
  
"Why? I have feelings, too, you know. It's not that easy"  
  
He pulled back from me, leaving me standing there like an utter moron. Perhaps I was, in this matter. I really didn't know how I should behave. So far I had come since my days in ancient Egypt.  
  
---  
  
[1] I don't own this either! The song is 'Brandon Lee' by The 69 Eyes. Couldn't resist adding it... And truthfully, I think Jyrki's deep voice and the gothic music kinda fits the mood of this fic *smile* (YS: Oh wow. Now you've completely lost your mind, haven't you?)  
  
AN: *smirk* Now what you think of _this_ chapter? (YS: Oh yes, a great chappie indeed *leers at her hikari*) *sweatdrop* Now what do you mean by that? (YS: Nothing. Absolutely nothing) -__-; You're way too odd, you know that? *mutters something* Please review, everyone! 


	16. Not the Leader Anymore

Beware, everyone, for now I'm obsessed with ramen... ^^ Really random, that one. Sorry for not updating for some time again, I got caught up in drawing for some reason. I never had any idea how long it takes to color one lousy picture with computer...  
  
(I'm sorry, a bit in a hurry now, thanks to everyone for the reviews. I'll respond to them all in the next chapter...)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 16: Not the Leader Anymore  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
"What are you so afraid of...?"  
  
It took me awhile to figure out what Ryou was talking about. It's not often I get accused of being afraid... Such an unnatural state that would be for me. What was more surprising, however, was the fact that he was right, I _was_ afraid. A little. Oh, that galled me, the admitting.  
  
I was afraid of him, the possibilities he brought to me. Of the new life I could have, if I just reached out and accepted it.  
  
"It's not like you really need to know. What are _you_ afraid of?"  
  
He looked surprised, perhaps for what I said, perhaps because I answered. And even the day before yesterday I wouldn't have answered, so much he had managed to change me, just by being there. I never thought such a thing could happen.  
  
"You, I guess. This all, it's just happening too fast. I cannot keep up with it"  
  
"It helps if you let go of the past. Letting go of unnecessary memories is one thing I learned a long time ago."  
  
As I had cast out of my mind the happier days of Egypt. The time when the Pharaoh had been with me, the Priest and the Guardian, our little group just hanging out together, hunting those unworthy mortals... Had we truly been friends sometimes? It seemed a dream now, a distant dream. Certainly not something that could actually have happened.  
  
"But I cannot. I cannot forget"  
  
I heard unshed tears in his voice, fighting to get loose. What was a vampire to do in such a situation? I didn't know, and was again left standing there, looking for all the world like a fool. I sifted, trying to find something that wouldn't sound completely wool-headed.  
  
"I'm really not good with this relationships stuff..."  
  
Now he finally looked at me, a small, sad smile playing at his lips. He shook his head and hugged me, to my infinite surprise. Ryou was like no one I had met before...  
  
"What are you doing...?"  
  
"Silly vampire. I'm hugging you"  
  
Silly. One more thing I've never been called, with the possible exception of the time when I was still human, just a small child.  
  
"But why?"  
  
He remained silent. It's not like I really expected an answer, even though I hoped for it. There was no way I could figure this out by myself.  
  
And here I go again, admitting not knowing something. It just wasn't possible I could have changed so much in this short time... But here I was, looking down on him, the little human who I thought to drink dry that first night I saw him. Why hadn't I? I still didn't know.  
  
"...Some things are better left unexplained"  
  
Willing to take his explanation, I squeezed him a little tighter, having an unexpected urge to protect him from whatever might come to our way. I felt... warm. And even though it was so alien, this feeling, I really thought I could come to like it.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
What indeed would I do? This was one dilemma I craved an answer for, but didn't receive one. Making a decision to leave all thought for the next night, I left everything at the short human's hands.  
  
"What would you have me do, Yugi? You know I'd gladly do almost anything if you asked right now... Perhaps the result of too many years being the leader, I now want to follow someone, not simply do all the decisions and make all the choices. I've grown tired of it"  
  
I pressed the mortal's frail body close to mine, silently waiting for his answer. Maybe he would give one, maybe not, but I wasn't about to do anything without somebody telling me what to do, somebody giving me advice, guiding my steps through this quagmire of feelings. Not one single thing anymore.  
  
Yugi's breath warmed my chest, giving me comfort, belief in yet another tomorrow. He was silent, and I already thought he wouldn't say anything, when he raised his voice in an unexpected statement. Although I should have seen it coming.  
  
"Your past, Yami. I really want to know about your past."  
  
---Flashback---  
  
The Items... It bothered me that I still didn't have them. It bothered me greatly. But soon, very soon now, I would once again get to hold them in my hands, to possess that awesome power. For now I knew who had them.  
  
It really hadn't been so hard to track them down, the Items were so noticeable. Now... Now I was on my way to retrieve them, with my loyal followers. The thieves would be sorry for ever laying their eyes upon _my_ precious treasure.  
  
"This is it, isn't it?"  
  
"We should go in"  
  
I wasted no time on idle chatter and barged in. I had no patience for this, they had taken what was mine. The room was spacious and dim, the lair of darkness. I had no time to see anyone, when a voice from the far end took my attention.  
  
"We have already been waiting for you. Come in, pharaoh"  
  
How could they know I was coming? Well... We hadn't exactly been very careful not to let them know, but at least they should have escaped when they heard. I wasn't weak, and I had three other vampires to back me up.  
  
At this point my suspicions rose. What could they be hiding? Perhaps they had already mastered the powers the Millennium Items bring? No, that would be too unbelievable.  
  
"Then you have made a mistake. You shouldn't have stayed here."  
  
I walked further into the temple-like room, followed by the other vampires. The figure came visible to my eyes as I walked closer. He - if it was a he - was dressed in loose robes. Then my sharp eyes noticed the gleaming of gold behind him. No... They wouldn't dare to leave them so visible... Would they?  
  
Now I was sure some kind of a trap really existed. They wouldn't be _that_ bold otherwise. And judging from all evidence, they were confident enough in their own abilities to leave those precious items in the open.  
  
Suddenly, when we had nearly reached the pedestal the figure stood, the doors banged close. I whirled around to see who it was. I had known this would happen, or at least suspected. Another robed figure, but as the other's robes were white, this one's were black.  
  
"You've done well, Shadi. Now say out of our way"  
  
The tomb robber beside me gave a hiss.  
  
"So you think you can so easily disregard the one who was once the pharaoh of all Egypt? You have been sadly mistaken!"  
  
"Now, I think you're wrong. _You_ have been mistaken, my dear vampires. You probably have never heard of my kind, but we are very much alive. And we have the means to end your pitiful existance."  
  
With that the man in white robes...did something. I didn't quite know what, but he raised his hand and it was suddenly enveloped in blue light, blue as the sky on midday. In the same instant the white-haired vampire, who had once been the innocent little thief, begun to choke.  
  
The rest of us could only stare at first, abashed by his powers. What was this? But we were soon woken from this little trance. I moved my eyes first, glaring at the man.  
  
"Now you're dead"  
  
With that I jumped towards him, intending to rip out his guts. But this failed, as something stopped me from getting closer to him.  
  
"It's not that easy, you know. First you have to defeat my powers"  
  
I could feel my eyes start glowing a fierce crimson as my hatred for this stranger grew. The other two vampires still free from his grip were in a similar stage of anger, and suddenly the once-Guardian took a step forward and pressed his palms against the barrier.  
  
"You cannot beat us all!"  
  
His voice was low hissing, and I could see how his hands were beginning to smoke from the power of the obstacle. I could smell burning flesh.  
  
"I will not allow you to beat me! You are defeated!"  
  
I could see how much it took from him, but something happened and in a small flash of pure light the barrier was gone. The light, even though brief, burned my skin painfully and blinded me temporarily. When I could see again, the Guardian was crouching in pain on the floor, and the strange man's other hand was pointing at him, shrouded in dark purple light. What _was_ he doing?  
  
Now my little group of helpers had diminished to just the Priest... But we could still beat him. Just break his concentration for a moment, and the others would be free to help. I was sure of it. They couldn't be that bad off, they were vampires... That light couldn't hurt them that much, could it?  
  
"You think you have won? You're so wrong"  
  
We started advancing on this figure again, and I could hear the Priest's breath hiss through his theeth. When we were but a few steps away from him, he suddenly laughed cruelly.  
  
"You have no idea who you're going against, have you... All the better for me!"  
  
I glanced at the Priest from the corner of my eye, and nodded. He seemed to understand what I meant. He'd better. We both lunged at the general direction of our common enemy, and I saw him draw back slightly.  
  
Then I was already past him, and grabbed the first Item that came to my hand. Not even giving it a glance, I turned back just in time to see the priest fall to the floor in pain, and the human's eyes return to normal from the sick green they had been a moment ago.  
  
Anger filled me, and I reached into the Item's powers, drawing on it for extra strength. I mentally threw the whole blast to his direction, hoping it would be enough to knock him out.  
  
There was a bright flash again, but this time it didn't burn me. I was surrounded by it, and I could feel the awesome power I had relesed, clashing with the human's own power. Something exploded.  
  
When I opened my eyes, for I had closed them agaisnt the fierce power, I couldn't see the white-robed man anywhere. The one who had been my High Priest laid nearest to me, the other two a little farther away, groaning. Good, they hadn't died.  
  
It's not like I really cared for them otherwise, but spending the eternity alone was a bit too much for me at this point, so I thought them to be useful.  
  
I looked raised my hand and looked at the Item. It was the Puzzle.  
  
Turning back to the table that held the Items, I made a sudden decision. I wouldn't take all of them, not yet at least. The others deserved some kind of a reward, didn't they? Suddenly grinning, I grabbed the Rod and the Ring and threw them to the general direction of the other vampires.  
  
"Hey. Catch!"  
  
Two stunned vampires stared at me, clutching the Items.  
  
"What? Can one not give gifts anymore?"  
  
I was just turning back to grab a third Item, when a voice spoke behind me.  
  
"They are not yours to give"  
  
I turned around. I had completely forgotten about the one in black robes, Shadi. He was standing there now, behind the table, and the rest of the Items were gone. How had he had time to do that?  
  
I could sense my comrades coming closer, but I didn't dare try counting on them too much, they might still be too weak.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Me? I'm the one who is supposed to kill you."  
  
"Big joke, tell me something new"  
  
Suddenly a numbing pain spread through me, I could hazily see that Shadi's other hand was outstretched and glowing. I gasped in pain, unable to move.  
  
Then I heard a metallic sound a bit behind me, and suddenly the Guardian attacked Shadi, plunging the blade usually hidden in the rod through his right shoulder.  
  
I could hear his voice say something, but I couldn't make out what. Then the pain was suddenly gone, and I could breathe properly again, and see. In fact, I felt normal, if I disregarded a slight woozy feeling.  
  
The Guardian srumbled back a few paces, obviously exhausted. He had served me well tonight. I turned my attention back to Shadi as he started to speak.  
  
"You may have defeated me now, but in the distant future there will be a day when you shall suffer for it. As the years go by, we all gain strength, but I shall gain the fastest. Goodbye for now..."  
  
Swirling colors appeared around him, and then he dissappeared.  
  
The four of us were left standing there, numb, stunned, wounded, wondering what happened. And with merely three Millennium Items.  
  
---End of flashback---  
  
I gasped for breath, fighting away the cobweb-like feel of my memories resurfacing. I was lying on my back on Yugi's bed, and Yugi himself was leaning over me, his voice soothing me.  
  
"It's nothing serious, right? Just more memories. Although I don't know what could have made them come this time..."  
  
"Why does this have to happen to me? I don't want to... I don't want to remember anymore, I don't want to be a vampire, I most specially don't want to drink the blood of humans..."  
  
Yugi buried his hands in my hair and kissed my forehead.  
  
"Calm down. Perhaps the pain will fade if you share it...?"  
  
I closed my eyes, unable to resist his plea. And I told him. I told him every single detail I could remember of my past.  
  
---  
  
AN: Guess what. I now regret being so hasty in writing the flashbacks, for just a few days ago I found this page with the original storyline (in bad English) plus many scans of the (Japanese) manga... I could have had Isis (at least the one who looks like her, I'm not so sure about the name... Was it really her?) and Seto and all the rest of the 6 priests of ancient Egypt added, if I had known then what I do now -___- It would have been so fascinating! *sigh* Better luck next fic... And I downloaded the Japanese themesongs for myself! They're great! Please review? 


	17. Wrong Words

Hello! I'm sorry if my notes seemed a little hasty in the last chapter... I nearly got myself literally kicked off the computer -___-; But here is the next chappie (O.O it's already the 17th?) A reader posed an interesting question in one chapter, and since I'm such a nice person (yeah right) I decided to do it... So if you want to be notified when I update this story, leave your e-mail address and a notice in the reviews!  
  
As you have probably noticed, I sent a Valentine's Day greeting all who reviewed in the chapters 13-16 and all who have me on their favorites list. If you didn't receive it (I must have missed someone with such a long list... I'm truly sorry if something like that happened...) and would like to see the crappy picture I drew to you, please notify me and I'll send it to you.  
  
I'm sorry, it wasn't exactly clear who I meant Shadi to be... *grimaces* For once I decide to let a piece of information go before it's time, and I can't even write it clearly... Kinda worrying... Oh. Yes. Shadi is the hunter, the unknown. ^^ I know some of you were really not expecting that, I'd bet...  
  
Happy Valentine's Day and a hundred thanks to Diamond (*huggles plushies*), highqueenofthegods (Your review only showed up as '?'... Was it meant that way?), firedraygon97 (what if I can't answer anything else but 'it just comes to me'?), Jadesaber (I thought that bit with Marik and Ishtar pretty good, too!), rabbitinthemoon630 (long? I don't think it to be especially long yet...), Princess Strawberry (I'm sorry, I've been a bit busy... I'll try to get around to reading your story soon...), Silver Dragon (2 hours of sleep only? O.O and no, I don't think Yugi'll be a vampire), Ru-chan (^^), KJM^33 (Sorry... In not having time to write the responses, I forgot to e- mail you when I updated... Will not happen again! And I don't have any secret on how I update so 'fast' *is a bit confused* It's not fast, for one thing...), Jack V. Briefs (I'm trying to be a good girl now and update a bit more frequently. Emphasis on 'try'...), Slice (*thinks* You might just like this chapter very much too...), Lady Kaiba (I'll be waiting for the next chapter in your story...), Seventh Sage (I think by now you must've noticed I'm not around the computer during the time you are at least from Monday to Friday...), Neko-chan (*is a bit dazed after reading such a praising review and cannot think of anything to say* ... You think I portray Yami Bakura well? @.@), Dark Lady Setsuna (R/B fan? This chappie has something on them too...), Naturi (Yugi as a vampire is a very tempting thing, but it would screw up my plot... ^~), Difinity (One of a kind? *shakes her head* I don't get you people... But I do love writing so that the scenes just leap to your eyes from the page... I hope I've accomplished something of the kind...), amber (^^), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (Did I promise a M/I scene? I'm sorry... This chappie has some M/I... Just because I got all mushy when Valentine's Day approached ^^), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (*contended sigh* People like my stories...), BluJay (Now that you mentioned it, Jou really does have a small part... I'll try to write of him more, but he's kind of a hard character for me to write of... I'll try), MaidenoftheMoon (yes, Ishtar is Yami Malik... And the manga scans can be found at www.yugioh.esmartkid.com among all the other places...), Betrayal (^.^), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (confuzzling? ^^ Now there's a word that sounds fun!), jeti (the whole fic in one sitting? O.O It's not long compared to some giants, but still...), Mina (thank you!), Hawk's Angel (Thank you so much! ...Who/what is Christopher Pike?), The Imfamous ~Ash~ (Another one who read the whole story in one sitting? *shakes her head* this is bordering a miracle...), Chibizoo (Yami will be alright when Yugi talks with him a bit... I'm not so cruel as to keep him like that...) and Yana (You haven't read a Yugioh vampire story before...?). I really hope I didn't miss anyone... And my notes already take up a whole page x.x  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 17: Wrong Words  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
There he was again... That fascinating human... Why did I keep following him? ...Fine. I was willing to admit now, when I could see him, that I really wanted to have him. Odd of a vampire? Perhaps it is, but what's the use of pretending that I didn't?  
  
The said human was standing beneath a tree, looking up at the sky. The moon was nearly gone now. Soon it would be new moon, the darkest time in the cycle of the celestial, pale queen. But soon she would return and shed light upon the night-time world again. I needed that light, now that I couldn't see the sun. It seemed an eternity since I could...  
  
"You might as well come here. I know you're stalking me again..."  
  
I looked at the blond human in surprise. He shouldn't have been able to know about me... And what was with the submissive tone, he had been so angry at me all the times we had met. I shrugged it off and went to him, to stand beside him, gazing upwards. His smell enticed me, it was a gentle mixture of blood and modern smells, of the wildness of night. I could hear his heart beating, being this close to him, and the quiet beats I knew transported his sweet blood all over his body were music to my ears.  
  
For a long time neither of us spoke, we merely stood there, gazing upwards. The night was still, I couldn't hear anything that would disturb us, just birds singing somewhere in the distance. Such a wonder, I had found the modern cities to be noisy and loud. Not that they hadn't been that before.  
  
"Why do you do this to me?"  
  
I blinked down at the human. Do what to him?  
  
He slid down to the ground, still looking up at the dark sky, not at me. He was silent, refusing to explain himself. I crouched next to him, searching his face for some kind of a sign of his feelings.  
  
"...What do you mean?"  
  
"You should be able to figure it out"  
  
I thought on that for a while. What could he mean... When one particular thought came up, first I dismissed it, as too impossible. Then, when it came back, I gave up and decided it was worth a try.  
  
Smiling slightly, I leaned to him and placed a kiss on those inviting lips of his. He gave a little start, and I could hear how his heartbeat suddenly became quicker. Had I been right?  
  
He pushed me away, frowning.  
  
"Don't do that"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
He didn't answer, instead just looked away and seemed uncomfortable.  
  
"How do you think Yugi is doing? I visited him today when he didn't show up at school [1], and he looked really pale. He wouldn't tell me what was wrong... Could that other vampire have...done something to him?"  
  
I sighed. The pharaoh had always been a fool, and if he truly had fed on the boy he hadn't changed much. But I had thought he would have the self- control to restrain himself, no matter how big the temptation to do otherwise.  
  
"If he was alive, he should be well. I don't think the pharaoh will let him get seriously hurt, no matter what he's done..."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Don't worry. I should know him by now..."  
  
Silence fell between us again. Such informative silence, what people did meant more to me than what they said. Such had been the case since ancient times, when I learned how easy it was to lie with words... Body language wasn't that easy to change to your own purposes.  
  
"Jou..."  
  
The boy stubbornly refused to look at me. I sighed deeply, unable to keep in my impatience. He just had to be like that, didn't he... Well, I wasn't going to tolerate it.  
  
I leaned to him again, taking his face between my hands, and looked into his eyes. What I saw? Confusion, mostly... But the other things...  
  
"So this is why you won't stay at home... Interesting."  
  
I turned around at the familiar voice.  
  
"Mokuba, you should be asleep at this time of the night!"  
  
Innocent eyes looked at me, innocence clearly covering amusement.  
  
"Don't laugh at me, kid"  
  
A smile twitched the corners of his mouth.  
  
"But really, this is great! To catch the ever-cold Seto Kaiba like this..."  
  
I growled. What an irritating brat he could be!  
  
"Show a little respect to your elders, would you!"  
  
Jou, who had been silent and unmoving until now, suddenly hit my chest. I turned my glare at him.  
  
"Now what was that for?"  
  
"Leave the kid alone!"  
  
I heard Mokuba start laughing at the background.  
  
Oh, perfect. What a night this had turned out to be.  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
I was hugging the vampire, to my infinite surprise. And he didn't yell or hit me or do something else that would even slightly hurt me. He hugged me back. I hadn't been expecting that, to tell the truth. Despite of the way he had been acting with me this night.  
  
Not that I'd have thought much on what I did, he had just seemed so confused, and him having confessed he wasn't good with relationships it became easier... Like he was human after all, despite being a vampire. It was a human problem, but I was sure he wouldn't appreciate to be told that. So I hugged him, content to bring out a little softer side of him.  
  
"Are we just going to stand here the whole night?"  
  
His question surprised me. I looked up at him, only to see a frowning face hovering over me. I couldn't resist, despite my best efforts, and kissed him. My mind resisted this, the wounds he had given to me were too fresh, I couldn't, but emotion overcame logic and there I was then...  
  
If someone had told me a few days ago that I would end up kissing voluntarily someone who had raped me, I would have thought them crazy.  
  
I could nearly feel the vampire's confusion, it radiated off of him in waves. But he hugged me closer and kissed me back, slowly gaining confidence in a thing I knew must be new to him. The kiss was tender, fragile... It didn't last long, as I knew it wouldn't. After I broke it, the vampire once again frowned at me.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"Can't I do a thing without a reason?"  
  
I smiled shyly at his bewildered expression. I had a feeling things would be hard with him... Was I willing to go through that? ...I was. I knew it without a doubt. I wouldn't be satisfied without him, for good or bad he was now a part of my life, a very important one.  
  
Sighing contentedly, I lowered my head against his chest. It wasn't time to think on that now, what would come to pass would come without me worrying over it. This was now, I should concentrate on it.  
  
"Do you want to come over to my place?"  
  
I could suddenly feel him draw away. I looked at him, only to find a reddening face. A blushing vampire? That was something that didn't seem right.  
  
"I... It wouldn't seem right to touch you yet, you know. I mean... It would be great but I don't think we should..."  
  
I could feel my eyes widen and a similar blush rise to my cheeks.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way. I meant... to talk. Spend some time together, maybe. But not... that."  
  
"Oh. Good. 'Cause, you know, it would have been too..."  
  
"Yeah"  
  
There we were, two blushing white-haired figures, a vampire and a human. Could relationships such as this work? No. I wouldn't think on that tonight. Tonight was for glad things.  
  
"Shall we go then?"  
  
With a questioning look the vampire lifted me to his arms. I snuggled close to him, from previous experience I knew that this way of moving about could get dizzying, and it was cold besides. Not that he was so warm, but he wasn't so very cold either.  
  
...Yes. The murdered girl. He had fed tonight. I tried to ignore it.  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
I woke up only to find myself in darkness. A darkness that smelled of spices and... cold. How could something smell cold? Perhaps it was just in my mind. Slowly I came to realize that someone was beside me, I was wrapped in his embrace.  
  
Oh yes. The vampire. I blushed in the darkness. I couldn't really believe behaving like that had been a good idea... A low chuckle came from the said creature.  
  
"Awake, are we? It's about time"  
  
He slid his other hand to grab my hair and brought my head closer to him, close enough to kiss. His lips closed on mine, and his slick tongue slipped into my mouth.  
  
I tried to resist first, but gave up soon. Mostly because he clearly wouldn't let go. Not that I really wanted him to... It was just that this whole thing was something I truly hadn't been expecting, and it didn't help the vampire, who was now on top of me, kept deliberately messing with my head. I knew it, but couldn't do anything.  
  
This was something new, to be completely at someone else's mercy... I liked it. With him I truly liked it, it felt...right. But anyone else who would have tried to dominate _me_ would have ended up dead. Or severely maimed.  
  
Ishtar - I still wasn't used to calling someone by my last name - tried to rise, I didn't know what for, and neither did I care. But that wouldn't do, not now, so I reached up and drew him back to me. I could hear how he chuckled, but was too immersed in feeling his wet mouth slide down my chest to put much attention to that.  
  
Suddenly something pierced the bliss I was falling into. A thought, a very interesting thought... Okay, a bit masochistic, but whatever.  
  
"Hey, vampireguy!"  
  
He raised his head to stare at me, irritated.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"How about that bloodsucking you seemed so fond of last night...?"  
  
An evil grin suddenly lit his face.  
  
"Oh yes, bloodsucking..."  
  
He slowly slithered up my body, leaving little kisses on my stomach and chest, making me shiver suddenly. Did he have to be so...without any kind of inhibitions? Say one thing, however impossible, and next moment he did it. Unnerving, but in a way it provided me with boundless fun...  
  
I felt his hot breath come closer to my throat, and after a moment that seemed infinite to me, his mouth was touching my bare skin again. I took a deep breath, trying to prepare for whatever I would feel when his long fangs pierced my skin.  
  
What happened wasn't anything I had expected. There was the pain alright, but it didn't continue for long. Instead I felt rising bliss, spreading over all my body from the little wounds he left. I moaned slightly, and could feel the vampire's mouth spread into a wide smile.  
  
Now what was that about? Soon that thought left my, however, as did all else. My mind was completely taken over by the pure pleasure having him suck my blood caused. If I sometimes had time to think on this, I would probably be horrified, but now I was in heaven. No time for that.  
  
I could faintly feel the vampire's hand roaming all over my body, but that was secondary compared to his mouth on my throat. Everything was secondary to that feeling. Even life.  
  
---Shadi POV---  
  
Soon now, very soon. My prey was coming closer every second, I could feel them. And it seemed that their powers had grown tremendously since our last encounter, but I wasn't worried about that. I had grown in strength myself, and would certainly prove to be a match to those three. If not stronger than all them together, but that remained yet to be seen. I wasn't about to be defeated again...  
  
I had been very young and careless when we first met, when I had received that nearly fatal wound from the Millennium Rod... I hadn't really believed something stronger than one of us could exist, and that had nearly been my doom.  
  
But then, I couldn't have died, could I? I was destined to kill them, take their miserable lives and make the world a slightly better place for all the people to live.  
  
I was sitting in one of those 'trains' this modern time seemed so fond of, on my way from one city to another. It was fast, that much I was willing to admit. Now that nothing hindered me on my way, I would be with them by this morning. I would have to rest for the day, but the next night... The next night might very well prove to be their last.  
  
---  
  
[1] Yep. School. The day Jou was talking about was Monday, if you remember the first night was Friday... I'm trying to get some semblance of reality into this  
  
AN: *thinks* Hey, yami! Do you think we might pass 300 reviews this chapter? YS: *looks at the reviews* Perhaps... *looks at the readers* S: ^^ Please review! 


	18. The Hot Night

Hi there! *bows down low* I really got that over 300 reviews... Way much more than that, to be honest. The amount of those reviews is plain amazing! Arigatou!!! Kiitos!!! Merci!!! Danke!!! Tack!!! Gracias!!! Thank you!!! *is getting a bit dizzy with all these languages* I just wonder how many I'll have by the end of this fic... O.O  
  
^^ 300 thanks to Hotaru the Demon Goddess (^^ I purposefully try to make those flashbacks a bit different than the rest of the story...), Slice (*giggle* Now that is good to hear!), Amethyst Sin (Oooh, great name! ^___^), Naturi (You dedicated your fics to me too? *happy little smile*), Lady Geuna (*evil grin* Not to worry, the night is not quite over yet, Seto and Jou have a little time in this chapter too...), MaidenoftheMoon (Glad you liked it! And as I said, some of you really weren't expecting that ^^), Diamond (Thank you so much...), Dark Lady Setsuna (It was cute? Not exactly my intention, but that goes fine too!), Seventh Sage (Chocolate! *bounces around* Doesn't it make us all hyper? *has just finished a big chocolate bar...), Yamis Girlfriend (Oh I will ^^), BOOM BOOM ACHOOM (I'm glad you liked it...), Difinity (Oh a lot of things are going to happen *evil maniacal grin 'cause she knows she will have to keep the readers in suspense for some time yet*), Betrayal (Yep, poor Kaiba... He's totally confused now...), Silver Dragon (It didn't work? Did you try saving it first and then trying? I cannot much say anything to that, other people seemed to get it...), Lady Kaiba (You really think it was the longest? I'm not so sure...), Shade Azuna (Oh, I'm intending to...), Neko-chan (I'm sorry... Yami and Yugi do seem to be a bit neglected in this story nowadays... I'll try to make up for it sometime in the future, but really, I'm kind of out of ideas *sad, brooding thoughts*), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (*sighs in relief* It's good that I didn't... But anyway, a touch more M/I in this chapter too...), Siobhan (You really like the way I write B/R? *incredulous stare*), firedraygon97 (B/R is cute in my fic? *another incredulous stare*), SilverLily (*sweatdrop* I'm sorry, I'm a bit out of ideas on Y/Y... I'll try to make up for it sometime in the distant future...), C.h.i.b.i. Angel (^.^), Chibizoo (Oh, that was such a cute picture! *smiles widely*), Fuzzy05 (The first yaoi fic? Well, you must be new to FF.Net then... Or just good at avoiding them...), Yana (*maniacal laughter* They're going to get into _big_ trouble...) and PanDora (I know, many people agreed with you on that...) Lets see... 27 reviews since I last answered them? That's pretty good, actually *surprised look*  
  
You should be aware that the offer to send you mail every time StD is updated is still open, just leave a note and your e-mail address... Plus I should mention, remember the offer in the first chapter? It's still open too. If you have an idea you absolutely want to read in this fic, write it to me and I'll see if it fits to the plot. At least it would probably make me write faster, it's sometimes a real pain to figure out what the characters would do next... Yep. It's the writer's block speaking...  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 18: The Hot Night  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I felt...empty. All the memories, good and bad, were out in the open now, irreversably. The little human knew it all now... Was it for the good? I didn't know... All I knew was that I couldn't have kept it all inside forever.  
  
He had been silent since I finished my tale - at least what I knew of it. There were still pretty big holes in my memory... Those intensely colored eyes were half closed now, looking somewhere to the distance. It unnerved me... Couldn't he say something? What was he thinking? Did he hate me now?  
  
I certainly hated myself. Told like that, it all made me look worse than it really was. And I certainly had done nothing to prevent that from happening... What did it matter, anyway? Everything would end some day, no matter what he thought of me.  
  
"Yami...? Could you tell me right now that it is all going to be all right? That you really had a good reason to behave like that, that you have really changed? That no vengeful ancient people are out to get you?"  
  
Yugi held on tightly to my shirt - the shirt of that human I had robbed it from when I woke up - and I could hear the pain in his voice. What could I do? I had no soothing words for him, I needed such words myself. This world sucked, why hadn't I stayed asleep...  
  
When I didn't answer, the smaller version of me gave a little sob and leaned his head against my chest. I held him tightly, wanting to sooth his fears but not able to do it.  
  
"Yugi... I'm a vampire. I'm not sure if you've realized what it really means... The world isn't the same place for normal humans and the creatures of the night. All I have is my pain, and hope of a better tomorrow..."  
  
I could feel my shirt get wet from his tears. I felt like crying myself... Perhaps I was a bit depsessed, but I had reason to be.  
  
I had hurt the boy more than I should have, I had hurt myself, and I had hurt all the others around me. What had made me behave that way? What made me behave like that now? Was I eternally doomed to hurt everyone, struggle on with only my guilt for a companion?  
  
"Everything had changed... I cannot go back to being what I was, not anymore. I cannot, I don't even want to. How can you tell me all that and say not a single word of comfort?"  
  
I closed my eyes and held his sobbing body close to mine.  
  
"I do not have words to comfort you. All I have is myself, wrapped up in the darkness that ultimately is my own fault. Perhaps I can offer you kisses, but I daren't go much further, because I might give up the the craving for blood that always lurks within me. I know something of you now, after last night, when I drank your blood. And it is that you never truly give up, no matter how bad the odds. This story shouldn't be enough to shatter that determination, and besides, I am here, watching over you. I might not be able to say anything, but I am here, providing all the comfort you might otherwise need..."  
  
All through this silent speech, I held him, drew little circles on his back with my right hand. Would it be enough? I was afraid it wouldn't be, that he would abandon me like the horrid creature I was, to find my own fate in the cruel world. But I knew something else besides his strong will to go on. I had also seen the depth of his feelings for me, and they ran deep. This only served to deepen my guilt about feeding from him.  
  
How could I have? He forgave me, but did he truly know how much a vampire could get out of that blood? Did he know that I knew how he felt, did he know how I felt about him? Did he know that every single second the pain of not sucking all the sweet blood out of his frail body grew? Did he know how much I truly wanted him?  
  
I doubted it. For now now I was doomed to blunder in the dark with him, never knowing what might came up.  
  
"But Yami, can't you see...? That was all I needed. You will be there for me..."  
  
His voice, so full of love and trust, brought me back from the darkness, to bask in the light that was him. I felt like I was burning with it, he was the sun I hadn't been able to see in such a long time. He was mine, he was my life, he was the hope of salvation I didn't dare to have.  
  
I heard his heart beat silently in his chest, assuring me that everything indeed was fine with my little mortal, soothing my fears of rejection and death, of eternal night. I pressed him gently down on the bed, and placed my head on his chest, directly over his heart. The steady beat nearly lulled me to sleep, and I fell to a kind of stupor. I felt fine now, all my doubts and fears were forgotten.  
  
I didn't know how long I had lain there, my head on the boy's chest, but I could feel the dawn approaching. Yugi was asleep, one of his hands tangled in my hair.  
  
I could also feel something else approaching. The doom was so much closer now, nearly upon us. I couldn't do anything about it now, I needed to go somewhere safe that the rays of the morning sun wouldn't burn me to dust.  
  
When I was rising from my comfortable resting place, Yugi opened his eyes.  
  
"Is it morning already?"  
  
His sleepy voice penetrated my senses, the softness of it had a lonely ring to it.  
  
"Yes. I will see you again in the evening. Be careful during the day, will you? I don't want you to get hurt..."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."  
  
Despite his words, I could see him glance to the east, where the doom was coming. I kissed his forehead, and went on my way to find back to the basement of his house. The dawn was nearly upon us. So was the doom.  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
"Sooo... How long have you two been together?"  
  
The little brat who was now my responsibility was way too nosy. This was none of his business...  
  
"We are _not_ together!"  
  
"Suuuureeee..."  
  
I could but sit there, under the tree, when the two humans quarreled. How had this happened? Usually I was so careful... Sighing deeply, I rose.  
  
"Why don't we go somewhere else, Jou? Mokuba can find his way home, he did come here, after all..."  
  
Now they were both glaring at me... What had I done to deserve this?  
  
"Niisan, you wouldn't let a little kid walk the streets after dark all by himself, would you? That would be so cruel..."  
  
"In your dreams! I'm not going anywhere with you, you filthy bloodsucker!"  
  
Mokuba looked at Jounouchi curiously. Perfect. Just what I needed... What exactly gave the human the right to spread my secrets around? I very nearly growled at him.  
  
Jou glanced at the boy.  
  
"...He doesn't know? One big happy family you are..."  
  
"What exactly is this thing I don't know?"  
  
"That he's a vampire. Sheeesh, Kaiba, your own brother... How could you not tell him?"  
  
"Well excuse me, I don't exactly feel like spreading the word to every single mortal I happen to meet. He is not exactly my brother, that would be impossible. I was born in Egypt thousands of years ago, after all..."  
  
"...Oh"  
  
For once I was blessed with silence. The short brat stared at me with his mouth hanging open, and the blond had folded his arms and seemed to glare at the tree we had been sitting under a short while ago. This didn't last for long, however...  
  
"So cool!! Do you really feed on humans? Can you fly? What about sunlight? Crucifixes? Garlic? Do you have a coffin? Tell me!!!"  
  
I very nearly took a few steps back from the overenthusiastic child. Jou took one glance at my face and fell down laughing. I spared him one glare, but didn't dare take my eyes off the brat for long. He was now unnervingly close, those bright eyes gleaming with obsession...  
  
"Why don't you say anything? I want to know! How did you become a vampire? You cannot go to the sunlight, right? That must be why I haven't seen you during the day, you're asleep. Where is your coffin, you must have one! Every vampire with a little style has one!"  
  
I couldn't stop myself anymore, and started backing away from Mokuba. I had never seen anything of the kind before... Unfortunately, I backed straight to the laughing Jou, and tripped over him.  
  
"Hey, watch it!"  
  
"Can I see you suck blood? How about your fangs? Can I become a vampire too?"  
  
I very nearly screamed then. How could he actually want this? Jou nearly choked. He sobered and sat up.  
  
"Hey, Mokuba! That was your name, right? Calm down a bit..."  
  
He only succeeded in changing the topic...  
  
"And you! Are _you_ a vampire? Or are you going to become one? How long have you known niisan? Are you really together?"  
  
We glanced at eachother. Jou seemed to agree with me that his questioning was going a bit too far... I stood up, managing to regain some of my calm. Jou quickly followed.  
  
But what could one say to a kid? I was left standing there, speechless. The human by my side hesitated, but then took over the situation. For once I was glad someone helped me...  
  
"Not here, kid. Why don't we go someplace else..."  
  
Mokuba seemed to consider this for a while. Then he nodded.  
  
"Why don't we go back home, niisan? I bet you haven't shown your lover our home yet... "  
  
Jou blushed, and I wanted the earth to open and swallow me. Mokuba grabbed my hand and Jou's, and started to drag us away.  
  
The way to my mansion was uneventful, Mokuba had fallen to blessed silence - perhaps to invent ways how to torture me once we got home. I felt dizzy. Way too soon we were there.  
  
"Come on, you two. Can't you walk a bit faster?!"  
  
He opened the door and dragged us in.  
  
"What do you think, Jou? This is our home, feel free to look around..."  
  
I sighed. Perhaps it was time to get rid of the little brat? This thought had just crossed my mind, when something unexpected happened.  
  
"Well, good night you two! Have fun! I'm way too tired to hear of the mess your love life must be, but I'll get to that later, don't think you're off the hook yet..."  
  
He went upstairs, leaving me alone with the other mortal, feeling slightly embarrassed, and at loss for words. Generally, what did you do with people? Besides sucking their blood, that is...  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
I held the frail mortal close to my undying body. I felt all warm and comfortable, and had this weird urge to cover his sad face with gentle kisses... This night had been way too odd for me to comprehend, so I just didn't think on it.  
  
Like when the boy had kissed me. What was I supposed to do then? I didn't know, but evidently I had done the right thing in responding to it. He was too confusing... Right then I noticed that he had tears in his eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
He only shook his head and held on to me tighter. Had I done something to make him cry? I was contemplating this possibility when we arrived to his house. Once again. Had I not only a little while ago left him here, after he told that I was his? That's how it seemed anyway. And while I hadn't been with him it had felt like an eternity since I last laid eyes on him. Weird how time twisted around...  
  
Perhaps he was cold? I didn't see how it could make him cry, but anxious and willing to try anything to make him stop I opened the door with the abilities of my mind and went in. Closing the door behind me absentmindedly, I wondered where he would be the warmest. Finally deciding on the couch, since I felt like I shouldn't go to his bedroom, I walked in to the living room and laid him down. To my surprise he wouldn't let go of me, so I had to sit down beside him.  
  
His silent tears hadn't stopped, and I could only hold him.  
  
"I know that I'm not exactly the best with this kind of stuff. Just tell me... Tell me what's wrong and I'll do something about it..."  
  
The boy's tears didn't stop flowing, instead I was sure he cried harder. He moved closer to me, and I was glad to hold him. It seemed to sooth him somehow. Looking around, I suddenly noticed how everything around us seemed unreal. Unreal, cold, without any kind of meaning. Dark.  
  
But the mortal in my arms was warm, he was my world. I could almost feel the light he radiated. He was mine and I was his. How fitting it seemed right now. We were here, in our own bubble of emotions, alone.  
  
I looked down at the boy, feeling like crying myself. How could he always make me cry? He had that first night, and I hadn't understood it. In fact, I didn't understand it now.  
  
"Please don't cry... Think of something happy, alright?"  
  
I was getting desperate. This just wasn't good, how had I let myself change this much?  
  
He smiled at me through his tears.  
  
"I know it sounds weird, but I am thinking of something happy... It is too much for me, I can't believe anything like this has happened... You actually do care!"  
  
I was speechless. He cried because he was happy? ...Because of me? I was the reason for these tears? I suddenly felt really guilty. I didn't want him to cry anymore, I wanted him to smile, to be happy.  
  
"You don't need to cry because of me... Please, smile"  
  
He smiled radiantly, tears staining his brown eyes. I lowered my head and kissed some of the tears away. They were salty, but not like blood was salty. A different taste, invading my senses. He looked at me, eyes widened in a sweet way he had. How come I had never noticed how enticing mortals could be? Every single little thing seemed to catch my attention about him, the beat of his heart and the smell of his blood foremost, but also other things. The way he tilted his head, how the sweater he wore folded in some places, the glistening tears sliding down his face, it all was beautiful to me.  
  
Perhaps it was only this mortal that could affect me so? Only him for me, always and forever. What did that old prophecy speak of? I couldn't quite remember, but something about innocence and rebirth. If this was the case, wasn't he me? Thus it wouldn't be so odd for me to feel this way... In a warped way it was like loving yourself, a younger, human version of yourself. A new chance for you to live... To live truly, a mortal life. Not one such as mine was now, full of darkness, madness, and sweet blood flowing down your throat.  
  
The little me climbed to my lap, his breathing calming down, no longer the silent sobbing of before.  
  
"I do not understand it... All the things having to do with you manage to leave me confused, I never understand any of it. I feel so helpless, vulnerable. But you feel safe, despite everything..."  
  
"I could try to explain, but I don't know everything myself. For now it is enough that I'm able to keep you safe... No one will touch you as long as I live"  
  
He took a deep breath, I could feel the beat of his heart quicken slightly. I felt so odd, feeling these things, saying them aloud. But I felt, I knew, that it was the right thing to do.  
  
I would protect him, keep him safe, be his. As he was mine... We belonged to each other, and I had no intention of letting anything come between us. If it took my life, I would keep him safe.  
  
Gosh, when had I become so dramatic? Perhaps since I had first felt the doom approaching us. And it was disturbingly near now, when the night was about to turn into day. Soon I would have to leave, to find a safe place for the night. What would become of my innocent mortal during the day, when I couldn't be there to do anything for me?  
  
The boy seemed to sense my concern, for he snuggled closer, if such a thing was possible, and buried his face in the hollow of my neck.  
  
One more new emotion. I was sure I couldn't take this much longer, I already felt like bursting with it all. I very nearly wanted to scream, just to relieve some of the pressure building inside me. But did I truly want to get rid of it...? No, it was too precious to lose. I wanted it to continue forever, to be content holding my little human close, to feel his frail human body against mine, to smell the coppery smell of his blood, have my veins throb for it painfully. Such sweet torture, and he did this to me without even trying. I took a deep breath, trying to find enough control to leave his warm embrace, to go back to my cold grave.  
  
---Ishtar POV (WARNING: Errrr... This is something of a lime, not recommended for younger readers... I think you know what you should do if you are...)---  
  
I pressed my mouth firmly against the mortal's hot skin. Coppery blood flowed to my mouth, it tickled somewhat. Like a flow of pure life would. His blood was thick with his lust, I could taste it as clearly as I could see his violet eyes, half closed in bliss.  
  
I coudn't help it, I let a grin come to my face. He looked so adorable like that... How long since I had done something like this? Way too long. Perhaps I never had. Who cared? Marik was here now, this was the fantastic present, there was no time for the past.  
  
I slid my hands down his body, adoring every moment with him. I heard him gasp for breath, and it brought wicked memories of a few hours before, when I had first entered his house. He should have known I always get what I want...  
  
Caressing him gently, I licked the last few droplets off his skin, as much as I would have wanted to drink more of that sweet liquid, mortals had their limits. And in fact, so did us, the vampires. Nothing could last forever. But this wasn't the time for that, this was a time for crimson blood and steamy nights with the one that was me.  
  
I could feel the impact of his blood slowly settle in, and with it came a sweet feeling of fuzzy emotions, cold nights spent alone in the dark, of the same all-consuming madness that I myself held within. But it was all mixed, the overall feeling was lighter than me, bringing within me a craving for the light I hadn't felt in thousands of years.  
  
I searched for his mouth with mine, and found it, covered it with my lips, which were still slightly tainted with his blood. I felt him moan, taste the blood, but of course it wouldn't be as tasty to him as it was for me. He was human after all, as if I had any trouble remembering that.  
  
For one the body pressed against mine was warm, excruciatingly warm, at times I felt that surely the sun wouldn't be any hotter than his feverish skin against my cold body. I could nearly feel the blood still in him flow through his veins, carrying life, keeping him alive. I could hear his heart beat, the drumming sound a bit hollow, resounding against his ribcage.  
  
His slender fingers dug into my skin, nearly breaking the skin. I cherished the feeling, the slight pain it brought. Regretting having to leave his mouth, I trailed down his throat, to place demanding kisses on his chest, licking the hard nipples with my tongue, letting my fangs graze his dark skin occasionally.  
  
Pressing myself more firmly against him, I slid my other hand down his side to caress his firm bottom, feeling his human body shudder slightly under my touch. Really, what made him so interesting? It couldn't be only his body - more than enough to drive me crazy, if I already wasn't - or his mind, since at first I had known nothing about him. There had to be something else to this, too, something I hadn't noticed.  
  
Oh, screw that, I'll be damned if I can't concentrate enough, especially when the subject was the sweaty mortal I so much wanted anyway.  
  
---  
  
AN: ... ... ... I don't know what came over me... But anyway... Behold, It's the end of the fourth night! Three more to go ^^ That means about 12 more chapters, plus a possible epilogue... Aaaaargh! I'll never get this finished! Please review... 


	19. Crazy Thoughts

Did quizzes. Found out that if I was a yami, I'd be Yami Malik. Found out that my personality best matches Seto and Yami Bakura. O.O I'm weird. My author's notes are always way too long. Decided I really should try keeping them a little shorter... This is one attempt ^.~ Oh, and sorry for the long wait and short chapter, as I said earlier, I have a small case of a writer's block *desperately hoping it doesn't turn out to be a big one*  
  
Thanks to Yugi and Ryuki Foreva (^.^), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (You read it at school? Wow, I'd never have time for something like that...), Yamis Girlfriend (Oh I will... And thank you!), Diamond (^.~), PanDora (Tear them apart literally? Now that sounds interesting... *deep thinking* O.O Sorry, didn't mean it), Princess Strawberry (Thanks...), Jadej.j (^^ Soon, I think. Okay, you probably wasn't expecting an answer for that...), Silver Dragon (Never read a fic that's 30 chapters - or more - long? ...How did you manage that?), Betrayal (*giggle* You liked it? ^^), Yana (*sigh* I always end up making their lives suck... Don't expect an overly happy ending, that much I can say...), Sarina Fannel (*is dizzy* *shakes her head* You know, I never stop being amazed how much praise I actually get...), Jack V. Briefs (You wish you had _my_ talent? O.O What about your own?), Siobhan (*sparkly eyes* Really? I feel so inspired!), Neko-chan (... ... Aaaaargh! Run, it's the glomping, crazy cat girl! ^^ Really, I can't believe how you people like this so much. ...Don't start threatening me like you do PM... I know you threatened me with it... ^.~), KJM^33 ('kick ass Malik pic'? It wasn't that good... Oh, and I absolutely adore him too! He's perfect! *gets all dreamy*), Seventh Sage (I know, thinking of something actually original for a review is hard work...), firedraygon97 (^^ You actually commented on every aspect of that chapter!), Yami ChaosGem (^^), jessica (best you've read in a long time? That's so good to hear!), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (What's so absolutely great about ch 17? And what's so great about my writing style? And... Oh well. Something I'll probably never understand, although I _did_ change my own opinion of it a little about it completely sucking when I read the whole fic again... Something I haven't bothered since ch 9... And this time I'm sure, you did mention me and SSJ Sky in the same sentence! O.O), C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity (^.~), jeti (So long without an internet access? Poor you... I'd probably go crazy... YS: Like Yami Malik? What would that make me?!), pixipowder (I keep good track of details? I don't think so, there's like a hundred things I've forgotten and would need to add in again so they don't just disappear...), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (Well that's great to hear! Although I'm sure some people will lose patience with me and be really mad before I'm done with this fic... For delays and content, I'd say...), Naturi (S/J is really getting along finely now... Expect a proper relationship in... Oh, I don't know, 5 chapters? Could be), The Dark Star Goddess (^^) and Kakarots-Frying-Pan (O.O Where _do_ you people get your names...? And yes, it was kind of cute, wasn't it...). *sweatdrop* And I thought there would be less reviews this time... Not that I'd have hoped for it, but it seemed logical 'cause there was so many in the last and I thought people wouldn't bother again... O.O There was even more?! I don't believe you... *looks at the readers, completely amazed*  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 19: Crazy Thoughts  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
Again, it was evening. The sun was setting, I felt its hot rays fade somewhere outside. I didn't feel like opening my eyes to this new night. It was too painful. I sighed deeply. It seemed that I still wasn't past my depression. But I had felt fine last morning... It was no wonder, I had spent the whole night with Yugi, most of it resting, listening to his heart beat.  
  
But it also had a downside... I hadn't fed the whole last night, and despite drinking blood from Yugi the night before that, I wasn't up to spending many days without nourishment. Why? Because of my long sleep. I was famished, my immortal body needed that blood to get over the long fast.  
  
Slowly I came to realize the fact that Yugi still hadn't showed up. Last night he had been by my side since I woke. Had something gone wrong? Was he alright?  
  
I quickly rose, heading from the basement to the actual house. What if something had happened to him while I was asleep? I could never forgive myself...  
  
"Yugi?"  
  
I nearly ran up the stairs. Was he here? He had to be... Please, let him be alright. I opened the door to his room, anxiously looking around, ready to continue my search, ready to wrap him into my arms in relief, ready to kill whoever might have stopped him.  
  
And what I saw when I entered his room? Him, Yugi, sleeping peacefully. The poor boy, he must've been so tired after last night... He did have a life besides me, a life in the world of the day, when the bright sun shone in the sky and people walked about in their own business, the world where the horrors of night were only children's tales... I didn't belong to that world anymore, but he was firmly rooted to that, his friends, his family, everybody he knew were a part of this world of light. Except for me.  
  
I silently walked beside his bed. What right did I have to snatch him away from the world of light? He was way too young to bear all this, to live by night as well as the day, to know how horribly wrong things could really go. What right did I have to ruin him? To bring about sorrow, fear of all the bad things lurking about, hopeless love? What chance did a vampire have with a mortal?  
  
No, I couldn't take this right now. Let him sleep, peacefully, hopefully dreaming of the world of the day, where all the happy things were. Let him dream of innocence, for I had no left. Let him be my light, the half of me that lived during the day, let him be happy. But I would need to sleep during the day, avoid the burning rays of the sun, feed on blood of the living. I would need to bring death to my victims in order to survive, I would need to hunt, to know all that could harm me, to hunt those down before they could touch me, revel in their death. I was no fitting companion for such a mortal as Yugi was, he deserved more. Someone who could live in the light.  
  
I smiled gently, my heart felt like it was bursting with the pain and love I felt. Did a vampire truly love, could it be something more than simple craving for that we have lost? The life... The life flowing in that sweet sleeping human in front of me was enough to nearly drive me insane, I couldn't think, couldn't think clearly enough to figure it all out. I needed some time away from him, as much as it hurt, I needed to feed, needed to know if the others knew more about this doom that was already here.  
  
Yes, it was here. It was very close, but I dind't feel any immediate threat, merely a promise of future violence, of a great battle to come. I needed to know if the others would help me, despite all I had done to them, despite the fact that I still couldn't remember exactly what I had done to them. Would they be able to forgive me, to join with me in the battle against this ancient threat?  
  
And Yugi... Yugi needed to be kept safe, and I had a feeling whatever had come wasn't directly after him. It wanted me, perhaps it wanted the others that had once been my trusted companions. Insofar as trust went in those times, I doubted I had truly trusted anyone back then. Such a long way I had come, me, the creature of night, the one that massacred many bystanders simply because they were there, for the pure joy of it.  
  
How could I let him be with me? How could I taint that sweet innocence that was essentially him? No, that would never happen. I needed to go away now, go away for a while, feed, figure out what was wrong.  
  
"Sleep well, Yugi. I'll be back..."  
  
With that I turned, walked out of his room, out of his house, into the cold night. It welcomed me with the familiar cool air on my skin, the smell of the night-time city, the darkness I was. The darkness the night was. Weren't we all essentially of the darkness, born of her loving embrace?  
  
I shivered, trying once again to stifle the depression so stubbornly trying to consume me. There was no time for depression, I needed to protect someone that I cherished, someone so pure it nearly blinded me. And I welcomed it, welcomed the pain it brought, the clarifying of vision around him, the warmth of his embrace. I felt like it was meant to be, and who was I to claim it wasn't? I couldn't remember... But others could. Did they feel this glorious oneness with their own human halves? Perhaps I would find out tonight.  
  
As I walked on, I recalled how dazed I had been when I first entered this time. That feeling hadn't left me, it had hid away in the shadows of my mind, waiting for a chance to come out again. And now it did. As I walked and wandered, it came out, and I was confused, wondering at all the miracles of the world like a child.  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
He would show up soon. He would. The sun had set oly a few minutes ago, the last shining, glorious rays dissappearing to the velvety dark blue of the night. I knew I had become addicted to him, and I didn't care. How could I care when he was so gorgeous and scary and crazy and just plain hot? How could I care when I felt his cold hands on my body, the deep kiss of a vampire, the pure pleasure merely being with him brought?  
  
Isis didn't approve. Well, screw Isis, I could do nothing about the overwhelming desire to be with him - to be _his_ , to lay in his arms, knowing that even though I might be somewhat weird and depressed and crazy, he was so much more so than me. And he survived, he lived night after night, he fed on blood, he killed people on regular basis and he lived and survived. Lived? Did a vampire live?  
  
When I felt how cold he was, when I saw how completely uncaring he could be at times, I thought not. But when I laid with him, when he sucked my blood and got to know me inside and out, he was very much alive. So much alive that it scared me, the intensity of it, the way he let go of everything, just for the sake of being alive. But wasn't that right? To be alive, because one moment you might find yourself dead...  
  
It made sense to me. So much sense it was frightening. But what did it really matter? He was there, I knew he would take care of it, whatever it was. Just as soon as he arrived. And this is why I was anxiously sitting outside my house, desperately hoping he would show up soon. Oh yes, I was a complete wreck without him. He was my salvation, as dark as he was. Perhaps I should be worried.  
  
"What's wrong? Why are you sitting out here all by yourself?"  
  
I turned around and was startled to see him right behind me, so close he was nearly touching. He kneeled beside me, and I immediately welcomed him with a passionate kiss. Was this not my right? To touch him all I wanted, because of... I wasn't sure. The way he had drank my blood? The way he had shown up and instantly confused me, made me his? The way he acted so possessive, so uncaring towards the rest of the world?  
  
He kissed me back, and I could taste blood in his mouth. Not my blood this time. How early did he wake up to have had time to feed before coming here? ...Well, early for him, late for me. And besides, how much I really knew about vampires' feeding habits? It could actually take merely few seconds for all I knew. But that particular time wasn't likely, I could remember his fangs penetrating my skin, the feeling of blood being sucked out of me, and I was sure it lasted infinitely longer than merely few seconds. And all the gods help me, I wanted him to do that again.  
  
He drew back and grinned. Could vampires read minds? But his words had nothing to do with what I had thought, instead it was something really surprising, something I knew nothing of.  
  
"We are going to be busy tonight. I want you to meet someone I know, the Pharaoh. And the Tomb robber. And their humans. If we are really going to beat the one who we defeated so long ago, we need to unite at some point. It might as well be now, when we still have time to prepare."  
  
I was confused. Meet who?  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let the others hurt you. You'll be completely safe. And believe me, I wouldn't do this if it was just me in this mess, but in a way, you're involved too. Lets get going"  
  
So... No sex tonight? He smiled again, as if he knew my thoughts, and the smile was a smile of a complete lunatic.  
  
---Jounouchi POV---  
  
Great. My life was a complete mess. Why did this have to happen to me? Yugi had come to school today, and had been closemouthed about this everything. But judging from what I managed to pull out of him, he had totally fallen for that guy - over which Anzu wouldn't be so happy, they had kind of been together after all - and something had happened between them that had completely freaked him out. I just had to wonder what it was.  
  
No, don't go there. Dangerous. Concentrate on your own problems, will you? Yep, and mighty problems I had. What, a bloodsucker and his pestering littlebrother weren't enough? Sometime during the day that brat had found out my phonenumber - please, somebody tell me how he did that, he didn't even know my first name or anything - and had harrassed me until I had promised to be at their mansion by sundown. At _his_ mansion. Why, oh why I had I really come here?  
  
...No. Another dangerous area. Maybe it would be better if I didn't think at all. Yep, sweet oblivion, please welcome me!  
  
I waited. No, didn't work. I was still here, thinking. And it was getting alarmingly dark. What time did vampires generally rise from their graves? I shivered at the thought. And then nearly had a heart attack when a young voice called for me.  
  
"Jou-kun! I was already thinking you wouldn't come... Now, don't just stand there, come in. He should be awake soon, at least sometime around this time he has showed up the other nights..."  
  
Yep, I was doomed. I walked in to the mansion, my heart pounding. It was merely excitement, fear over what the vampire would do. Right? Yes, it had to be. Couldn't be anything else, could it? No, it couldn't. Don't even bother asking yourself that, what a stupid question. Of course it's stupid, what else could a question like that be? No, another question. Not good, not good, cast it out, yeah. Cast it out and never make another question again. Questions are bad. They make you think.  
  
I took a shaky breath and walked in. Please, let this night turn out to be fine after all. It has all been a bad dream, the world is right again, a relatively safe place to live. Let there be no vampires.  
  
Let there be no vampire who wants me... I shivered. How could that wish sound so repulsive?  
  
---  
  
AN: So. Trying this 'write short notes' thing... No more comments. Please review. 


	20. Intimacy

Okay, I know many of you are pissed right now 'cause I didn't write B/R goodiness in ch 19... Well, I'm truly sorry but I really did need to get it posted and adding it would have delayed the update with a couple more days... Trust me, it was for the best. But now I'm worried, are you truly expecting me to write about every couple in every single chapter? *sigh*  
  
Many thanks to Jadej.j (Sorry, not yet! ^^ It's a bit too early...), Dark Lady Setsuna ('another lemon scene'? *blinks* I wasn't aware anything I've written thus far could be called lemon... Whatever), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (Really? Glad you like it that much!), Diamond (^.^), J. Katherine Wong (Mokuba gets some time in this story later, too... A pretty important part is reserved for him in the end... ^.~), jessica (I'm sorry, it seems I can't update quicker than in a week anymore...), Siobhan (*happy little smile* Good that I managed to write them so well), firedraygon97 (hey, I think you actually commented on every character that showed up in that chapter...), Difinity (Poor Yami... He'll have to go through hell to be alright again... I'm so evil! ^^), Seventh Sage (Well... I never actually analyzed how I write and come up with the ideas o.O Weird it is, to me too!), Phoenix (I never get tired of reviews that praise me! Although sometimes it's hard to come up with the answers, seeing how I write them to all... O.O), The Dark Star Goddess (I'll do my best!), Neko-chan (*evil grin* You liked it... Me too *giggle* Possibly my favorite line of the whole fic! ^^), Jack V. Briefs (my talent isn't so great O.O), Redrum (^^), Jadesaber (I hope you'll like the rest of this too...), Yana (Where did I take those tests...? Can't remember. Possibly quizilla.com), Chibizoo (I'm sorry for the short chapter... As I believe I mentioned before, I'm currently having a bit of a writer's block), ancient-saeki (...cute? I wouldn't call this that, but whatever you say...), Yami ChaosGem (I liked it, but I haven't had time to review... Gomen...), Yamis Girlfriend (You people flatter me ^^), VampssAmby10210 (I'll write more, but I'm not so sure about the 'soon' part...), Vera (S/J fluff isn't very visible in this chapter, but I have hopes of getting it going again in the next one.), MaidenoftheMoon (the someone they're trying to defeat in the near future is unknown/hunter/Shadi... I know how hard it is to keep up with the plots of all the different fics sometimes! ^.~) and Betrayal (I'm really starting to feel sorry for them myself... o.O)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 20: Intimacy  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
He would come tonight, too, as he had come the other nights. At some point I would end up meeting him, so why should I bother leaving the house? He would come. So now I could rest, I did have a life outside of this, after all. As stale and boring as it seemed, it was a life, a normal one, with school and some friends and familyproblems.  
  
So I could afford to rest, and wait silently for him. And exactly that I was doing right now. Laying on my bed, trying to get some sleep - I _had_ been awake for most of the last night after all. But it didn't work, no matter how much I tried I couldn't shake the image of that vampire out of my head. He kept coming back... And it didn't help that I was waiting for him, lying down, on the very same bed he had taken me three nights ago.  
  
A shiver went through me at the thought. I should probably go somewhere else. But why should it bother me so? He wasn't here now, it needn't keep me from sleeping. It did't, truly. So why did I feel like he _should_ be here? I could feel heat rise to my cheeks. Why couldn't I have normal problems?  
  
"..."  
  
Something made me turn to look at the door. Yes, it was him. He was here now. He would take care of everything.  
  
That is, if he would stop staring at me with those eyes that currently were unnaturally wide. Okay, so perhaps it really hadn't been a good idea to be here. He started walking closer, seeming somehow odd with his pale skin and crimson-tinted eyes, those glowing white strands of hair giving him an otherworldly look.  
  
He sat on my bed, eyes locked on mine, silent and thoughtful, breath coming slightly quicker than normally. He wouldn't hurt me again, would he? No, of course he wouldn't. He had promised it, that not a single person would hurt me as long as he was around. And I knew he felt horrible of what he did to me. So he couldn't hurt me. Yeah, cling to that thought. That thought is safe.  
  
He reached out with his hand and buried it in my hair. Stroking them gently, he opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it, shaking his head. He looked so confused now... Was there something I could do about it?  
  
Then he shocked me out of my wits by suddenly laying down beside me, embracing me gently, pressing my face against his chest. I stiffened, already expecting the worst. But no, he laid there, still and quiet, breathing into my hair, squeezing me tightly.  
  
Not so uncomfortable, I had to admit after realizing he wouldn't do anything. Slowly relaxing in his arms, I noticed how good it really felt just to be there, not worrying about anything. I couldn't worry anymore, it seemed that my mind wasn't working at all. I placed one hand on his chest and started idly to draw patterns on the firm muscles. Not so bad at all, to be frank.  
  
"What are you doing to me...?"  
  
I glanced up at him.  
  
"Doing? Nothing in particular. Should I stop?"  
  
"No, I meant to my mind. And don't stop, it's very... relaxing"  
  
I could hear the contentment in his voice, how he was slowly letting go of everything that bothered him. He was a vampire, how often could he do that? Now that I thought on it, not often. I guess he really needed to relax...  
  
With my face feeling hotter every second and my breathing becoming shallower, I tried to concentrate merely on comforting him. Who knows when he had last felt like he could let it all go? I really didn't need bothersome thoughts running around in my head right now...  
  
The vampire sighed gently, I felt his hot breath stir my hair. I couldn't help it, I snuggled closer to him.  
  
"So... Ummm... have you fed tonight?"  
  
He murmured something that I presumed was admitting he had. But I wasn't about to ask again, it might jolt him out of this... snuggly mood, and that would be nearly unbearable to me right now. And I suspected this wasn't very characteristic of him, the big bad vampire... I smiled and rubbed my nose against his throat, which was so conveniently close by.  
  
---Jounouchi POV---  
  
I couldn't sit still, no matter how hard I tried. That vampire still hadn't showed up, but it felt like I was sitting on hot coals. Well, after last night, what did I expect from him?  
  
Last night... Mokuba had dragged us into their house, and then left us in an awkward little moment in the hallway. The vampire hadn't much said anything, only apologized for his littlebrother, and wished me good night. I guess he had been as nervous as me, although it certainly seemed incredible. Nervous? Him? Allow me to laugh. He couldn't have been.  
  
But there had been a small moment just before I left... No, cast it out of your mind, it was nothing. As that kiss under that tree was nothing.  
  
...Okay, forbidden direction. Think of something else. Ummm... Sheesh, who decorated this house? Could it _be_ any more snobby? I glared at the curtains, and the thick carpet covering the floor.  
  
"I take it the carpet offended you some way, or why are you glaring at it so...?"  
  
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the vampire's voice. When had _he_ showed up? And calm as always... Correction, not always, just most of the time. I could very well remember how he had behaved last night when Mokuba had showed up, and that definitely wasn't calm behavior. I nearly laughed at that thought, but it wasn't so much amusement as being downright nervous.  
  
"Don't get any ideas, Mokuba made me come"  
  
"So he said. He is way too attached to the idea that we might be together"  
  
"Tell me about it!"  
  
I refused to look at him, no matter how tempting it might have been to lose myself in those blue eyes... I had too many problems as it was, no need to make a fool of myself to top it all.  
  
A vampire's fool, none the less...  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
There. Now quietly... Don't scare the prey away. Walk forward, that's it, don't do any sudden moves and they might stay still long enough for you to catch. That's the problem with squirrels, they are entirely too scared all the time to stay still.  
  
Oops. I think I just stepped on a twig. In any case, the squirrel is gone now. Damn. Now I need to find something else. Not an easy task around here, as I had come to notice these past few hours. I felt like giving up the hunt and going back to Yugi, no matter how hungry I was. What was the point in this, I wouldn't catch anything...  
  
"Falling to depression, are you Pharaoh?"  
  
I turned around, surprised to hear that particular voice. That one voice I hadn't heard for such a long time... He was here alright, grinning like a maniac and holding a mortal tightly to him. A mortal that looked pretty much like him. I sighed. He too? I shouldn't be so surprised.  
  
"Not a warm welcome party? It's not like I wanted one anyway. Oh, and nowadays I go by the name Ishtar. Not so unlike the ancient days, or what do you think? It's also a pretty name that belonged to my human originally."  
  
"_Your_ human?"  
  
He looked down at the irritated Egyptian, smiling slightly.  
  
"Of course you're mine. Don't even think of something else"  
  
The human sighed. Looking snug, the vampire I had once known turned his attention back to me.  
  
"I see you've kept to your promise... Don't you think it's time to let go of it? Besides, you need to be strong that we could have any chance of defeating the Soul Eater."  
  
'Soul Eater'? He must mean the weird guy going by the name Shadi.  
  
"I'm not about to drink from humans, Ishtar"  
  
Had he had another name back when we were mortals? I couldn't bring myself to remember. To me he had always been Guardian.  
  
The said vampire looked thoughtful now.  
  
"I'm guessing here that you haven't gained much strength with feeding only on animals. And sleeping for such a long time sure hasn't helped. Am I right?"  
  
I folded my arms and looked the other way. It's not like it was any of his business...  
  
"On the other hand, I have always fed on mortals and I haven't slept at all..."  
  
He didn't sleep? I wondered how he didn't sound crazier than that, surely he should be in his own little world by now. One thing that I _did_ remember was that vampires needed that long sleep, needed it very much indeed.  
  
Suddenly he let go of the mortal - he hadn't provided me with a name yet - and strode towards me. What did he think he was doing? No matter that I wasn't as strong as him, I was still pretty damn powerful, and pissing me off would be a bad way to begin this. He absentmindedly tugged at his clothes, revealing his neck more.  
  
"This leads us to a clear solution, you know. I need you to be strong, you won't feed on humans to get that strength, so you need to get it some other way. Go ahead, I'm plenty strong enough to bear a little blood loss. Drink from me"  
  
To say that I was dumbstruck would be an understatement. I didn't have much time to think on it, as he grabbed me and dragged me closer to him. Okay... So this was the kind of madness he had? I couldn't drink his blood, it felt so... Weird. Just standing this close to him made me shiver, and only partially because I could smell the incredibly strong blood he had.  
  
I looked up at him, only to see him frowning at me.  
  
"What are you waiting for? We don't have the whole night!"  
  
He forcefully, but surprisingly gently, brought his hand to the back of my head and pressed my face against his throat.  
  
"Drink now. It'll make you feel better"  
  
He smelled oddly enticing, this close up I noticed the confusing scent of madness laced with every other smell.  
  
//Are you sure you want me to do this?//  
  
//Oh shut up already, Pharaoh. If I wasn't sure I wouldn't be offering it!//  
  
He brought me a little bit closer, and I got the impression he was impatient to move on with his things. Well... There was nothing to lose, was there? I sank my fangs on the side of his neck, unprepared for the shock his blood brought to my system.  
  
It was incredibly strong, for one. It burned my tongue. I couldn't recall ever meeting someone with as strong blood as he had, and that was to say something. It was overwhelming, it immediately defeated any objection I had to this, as it removed all coherent thoughts from my mind.  
  
To drink a vampire's blood... It tasted so much different than a human's blood. So... different. It couldn't be described any other way. Different, yet the same.  
  
Immersed in the coppery liquid, I felt like I was floating in crimson-hazy darkness, life multiplied by dozen suddenly welling inside of me, and I could feel the other vampire's pain and loneliness. How he must have suffered to feel like this...  
  
I clung to him, desperate to get more of this, never wanting to let go. I could feel how he suddenly scowled and tried to get me off, but I didn't care about that, he wouldn't get me off, this was too much, I needed this more than anything, I was suddenly sure I would die if I was denied access to this fount of pure blood, oh how it burned in me, this new blood. There was memories surfacing, memories from his point of view, how he had truly felt of it all, when I was too concentrated on myself to notice what others felt, and then...  
  
Then his blood brought me memories of myself, my own memories, the missing pieces suddenly crashing in. I felt how he finally managed to push me away from him, but I didn't care anymore, the memories were too shocking, too much for me to handle.  
  
I was supported in the other vampire's arms, and the memories ran uncontrolled, and I could only watch as they flew past my unseeing eyes.  
  
---  
  
AN: Pretty odd chapter, isn't it? Let me assure you, there's nothing but twisted friendship between Yami and Ishtar, despite the way they were acting there for a while... Please review! 


	21. Freezing Feelings of Nothingness

Ummm... Don't kill me for such a late update? I had so much other things to do... Could you have guessed that already? A prequel to StD is up if you haven't noticed ^^ I got you there, didn't I? It deals with all the vampires' memories, so if you want to know what happened back then, you need to read Paths of Blood. It will deal with all those centuries they spent searching, waiting, suffering... I will not be writing anything further of the memories here. You really don't need to read the prequel in order to understand the rest of this, but if you're interested...  
  
Thousand thanks to MaidenoftheMoon (Yep! M/I is perfect! ^^ And yes, they're trying to defeat the Soul Eater Shadi, who is very powerful. They couldn't get him if they just fight him one by one. He'll be seen very soon *evil laughter*), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (...ummm... I don't think this is very soon... I'm terribly sorry...), Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw (Hey, be glad, it only took me three days after I promised to get this up! ^.~ Truth to tell you it probably still wouldn't be finished if I hadn't promised that...), Redrum (Well, Yami's still not at full strength, but he's very near), jampom78 (I e-mailed you about your suggestions... So you should know what I'm intending to do with them ^.~), Jadej.j (*thinks* To let Seto drink from Jou...? An interesting thought, but I don't think it will show up the way things are currently going - not yet at least!), Seventh Sage (^^), darkdragon (I guess this comes a bit late, but congrats on getting an account ^.~), Betrayal (...'Shen'? Okay...), Diamond (*takes a deep breath* Yep. Once again, I will get this finished. I will), overlyobsesedwithyugi (funny? I didn't think there would be something funny in Yami drinking from Ishtar...), The Dark Star Goddess (Yes, I kind of scared myself with writing that...), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (I hope I haven't managed to screw up this chapter majorly...), Siobhan (Oh yes, I already forgot Yami tried to feed on that poor squirrel...), firedraygon97 (Nope, I don't think Seto can read minds... I guess I mentioned it somewhere, that vampires cannot read minds although they can control them. And it's okay, writing all the couples in a chapter gets easier now that they are starting to gather...), Chibizoo (to juggle four fics? I think I fell to that now... I have this and PoB, plus NtNG and a few unposted new ones... I can't believe how stupid I can be sometimes, starting new ones when I barely have time to write the old ones...), Yana (...does that mean that you think my fic is good?), Yume Takato (So I added you to the mailing list... It's not too much trouble! ^^), Jadesaber (Yep, Yami has his memories. If you truly want to know what has happened to him, go read Paths of Blood ^.~ I'm shamelessly advertising, aren't I...), Alana (The Amber series... Was it you that mentioned them earlier? And the fic is supposed to be weird, but in a nice way ^^), Neko-chan (It's amazing how I feel like I'm back home now that I read all these wonderful reviews from all the people I know - no matter how remotely. I already missed all the people who review all the time!), Lady Kaiba (You had some question...? It's been a long time since you reviewed, but feel free to IM me any time. That is, if you happen to be around in the same time I am, which if you are living in USA could be a bit hard...), Labannya (yes, I definitely prefer discovering great fics when they're in the beginning... For one there's the fact that some of them tend to be a bit long...), jeti (yes. Twisted friendship. It's odd, isn't it?), PanDora (*nods head* if you really want to know that, go read the prequel for this...), LOLO95 (good that you think so...), Burning- Yami-Rain (I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner than this one...) and Demon Star (...again I get praised for the detail... And the funniest thing is that I don't think I write so amazingly descriptively... Yeah, it tends to be a bit time consuming, to review every single chapter...) That's a long list, don't you think? Not to mention I now have 399 reviews... Is there any doubt that I wouldn't pass 400 in the next one? I don't think so, even though I haven't updated in such a long time and don't definitely deserve it...  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 21: Freezing Feelings of Nothingness  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
What now... The young human sitting on the couch absolutely refused to look at me. Not that I was complaining, it made things so much easier for me when I didn't see those eyes of his. They disturbed me for some reason.  
  
I absolutely despised this. To be so affected by one human... It wasn't like me at all. And to top it all, that brat who insisted on calling me his brother was worming his way into my heart too. How much more worse could it become?  
  
"Get up, won't you. I don't have the whole night to spend here in this room. Come along, I need to stop by my office."  
  
Turning around already, I suffered an instance of something like fear when I didn't hear him follow me instantly. But to my relief - and because of that relief, anger - he rose and started to follow me. Really, this thing with the human was going way too far.  
  
As I walked, I tried to suppress all kinds of feelings. As I had noticed many times before, feelings were merely a burden, they failed me in the most crucial moments. I needed to be ice, I needed to be uncaring, so that I would survive this world. That was one of those lessons I had learned the hard way...  
  
"...You really didn't need to be so rude. It's not like it's _my_ fault that I'm stuck here with you!"  
  
No. I refused to answer such a comment. Let him ponder on that for a while, perhaps it would teach him patience. And perhaps he would even understand me?  
  
...I really was growing soft. To crave for a human's understanding so... It was unacceptable. I needed to get rid of it. And what was I doing last night, following him like that? But now I was back to my senses, there would be no odd mistakes. I would be blessedly alone and emotionless again.  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
What could be more shocking than this... My darling vampire allowed someone else to drink from him! How could he...? If anyone should be this intimate with him, it should be me! Not some guy I knew practically nothing about. I was nearly seething with anger.  
  
It didn't help that after a while my precious started pushing the other vampire away, and he wouldn't let go. Greedy, was he? And after my crazy psycho vampire allowed him to drink, no less. How rude.  
  
Okay, ignore the touch of jealousy. You are not jealous because he lets someone drink his blood. _You_ don't want to drink his blood, so how could you demand him not to let anyone else do that. No, I'm not jealous.  
  
Damn. I can't just pretend that I'm not, when all I want to do is throttle that idiot. And take a sweet sip of that blood, just to show that it all belongs to me. Mine!  
  
I walk towards the two, determined to make it stop. Then the other - the Pharaoh? - flinches away from the psycho and seems to be in pain. What got into him? Couldn't take the blood?  
  
...Well, it's not like I know what effects drinking the blood of a vampire would have. Who knows, perhaps it's supposed to be painful. Ishtar looks at me, face impassive. What?  
  
"You're pissed off 'cause I let him drink from me, aren't you? You're cute when you're that angry..."  
  
I blink. Excuse me? He continues holding the other vampire, and stares at me. If I didn't know better, I would say he's horny. Well, see if I care. It's _his_ fault that we're out here when we could be nicely sweaty and panting in my bed.  
  
Okay, scratch that thought. Not good. Don't think on it right now, otherwise you'll pounce him right here and now, and that would probably be a mistake. What with the other vampire here... Would Ishtar protect me if the other one decided to hurt me? ...I had no idea.  
  
The other vampire seemed to gather his dignity - the last shreds of it, by the looks of it - and rose from his crouching position.  
  
"Ishtar..."  
  
"Yes, darling?"  
  
He laughed.  
  
What did he call that spiky-hair?! I was very nearly on the brink of taking my Rod and plunging the blade into his chest. How dare he? If he started something with me, he would very well finish it before acting like that!  
  
The Pharaoh looked surprised. What _were_ those two hiding?  
  
Suddenly Ishtar was no longer beside the Pharaoh, but wrapping his arms around me. Did he think it would make up for his behavior tonight? ...Okay, now that he moved like that, perhaps it did. But I still thought that staying at my house would have been better. Much better.  
  
"...I think I can remember now. I mean everything..."  
  
"No surprise there!"  
  
Why would it be no surprise for him? Sometimes he could be way too secretive for his own good. Not that I minded so very much, trying to make him reveal those secrets was...entertaining.  
  
"...So. Can you help me fight against the Soul Eater, the one named Shadi?"  
  
"That's what I'm here for..."  
  
Even though I couldn't see Ishtar's face, I was sure he was grinning.  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
It felt so good just to lay here... With the human side of me... My face comfortably buried in his hair... Had I had some plans for tonight? No, it didn't matter on the face of this small beauty so adorably nuzzling me.  
  
How odd. Not so long ago I would have killed anyone who dared to touch me like that. Not that long ago I wouldn't have hugged someone like this, nor would anyone dared to approach me. I was dangerous, I killed everyone who got into my way - unless I could use them. I had gained quite a reputation along the years.  
  
Not the kind of reputation that would make everyone go fanatic and search me out, but the kind of reputation that would make even the toughest opponents hide under their beds when my name was mentioned.  
  
I was exaggerating. So? No harm in little self-confidence.  
  
"...Bakura?"  
  
The weak voice drew me out of that blissful state I was in. Not that it mattered so much when the one who interrupted me was him. His white hair glowed dimly in the dark room. So pretty...  
  
"Un?"  
  
I was too relaxed to actually bother to speak. So what, he'd understand me. It's not like I needed to make long speeches to answer that single word.  
  
"I really don't understand you..."  
  
//I guess that makes us even. Believe me, I have tried to understand what goes on behind that pretty face of yours//  
  
I could feel how his face suddenly grew hot. Now what was there to blush about? It's not like I hadn't said something like that before. Hadn't I? Certainly I had told him something.  
  
I sighed. I probably hadn't. But it was so hard to know what to do in a situation like this. Really, how did humans manage this?  
  
Having no idea what I was going to say, I leaned closer to his ear.  
  
"Blushing are you... I have no idea what I said to get that reaction from you once again. But perhaps being with you will make me learn about this 'relationship' thing."  
  
The precious little human burrowed closer to me. I was already falling back to my blissful state when I felt something.  
  
This presence... It was _him_! How dare he come here?!  
  
After the immediate anger, came a twinge of fear. I couldn't defeat him all by myself. And Ryou was here, I'd need to protect him from the ominous presence that quickly approached the house. Taking a deep breath, I sat up.  
  
---  
  
AN: Sorry for the shortness. I just wanted you to know that I'm still here and writing. The next chapter should be longer... Much longer. I'll try to make it the longest yet to make up for the long wait for this one ^.~ Please review? I probably don't deserve it... 


	22. Gathering Darkness

So. I'm back, yet again. Hopefully I won't have such long pauses anymore... But you know, it's a long fic, it's no wonder I'd have a writer's block somewhere along the line...  
  
I got 33 reviews since the last update? *dies from the shock* What did I do to get so many? That last chapter was the worst ever!!  
  
ATTENTION: The whole fic has been revised now. There's some new things - seemingly insignificant sentences, which will make sense only if you pay attention to the details. But you'll get the most out of this fic if you _do_ notice those small things. So I'd gladly recommend rereading if you sometimes have extra time in your hands.  
  
Thanks to Burning-Yami-Rain (*laughs* I guess it would...), Yume Takato (some more S/J in this chapter... You mean a Yugi POV? It won't show up until the epilogue. But Yugi will be in the next chapter), BluLightning (as stated, Yugi in the next chapter...), Yamis Girlfriend (*sighs* So many want to have Yugi again... I'm beginning to think this chapter should have been longer so I could have added Yugi already...), Princess Strawberry (That happens... I should get around to reading your story, I think I promised at some point X.X I'm sorry, those things tend to slip my mind...), Silver Dragon (Sometimes reviewing is just forgotten... as I know so well -__-), Zypher Dragon a.k.a Diamond (hmmm... A sphinx/dragon muse? That sounds interesting...), MatrixAngel (vampire stories? I really should try to find this Christopher Pike's books in the library...), Seventh Sage (*blushes* 'm sorry...), Neko-chan (*squeals* Battle City! It's the best! ^^ I really hope I do get used to juggling several fics... I can't believe how insistent people are that I should update NtNG, I posted it in January and have gotten many reviews this week O.O), r*a*d*i*a*n*y (hmm... you're busy? That happens... Try to survive ^.~), Asahi Taiga (Yami and Ishtar have secrets? *tries to hide a grin* Oh noo, of course not.... I wouldn't do that *snickers*), Jadesaber (*one more sigh* I'm sorry... But the next chappie in three days!), Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw (Well thank you ^^ I hope you'll get the next chapter of your own story out soon... [YS: *bashes Shenya* Baka! You don't even update your own stories!]), The Dark Star Goddess (sorry to keep you waiting for so long... I guess it _was_ a bit bad time to take a break o.O), Hotaru the Demon Goddess (*grins* fluffiness is fun to write! Although I think things are getting somewhat worse now... *cringes*), Chibizoo (I read from your lj that you have a new fic written... Or to be written? It sounds interesting! Really, do get it out soon, please? It's been such a long time since I read anything you wrote...), Labannya (Umm... Ooops. I think it's been nearly a month since the last update... *cringes* Didn't mean to!), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (Uhh... Sorry, the S/J is hardest for me to write... It should get going now, bit by bit...), Siobhan (yes, Yami has his memories now... But nothing but hints will be written in StD, the actual story of the vampires' lives are in Paths of Blood), ZeZe (I'll try to update faster, and I think it will work. I have the next chapter nearly finished already ^.~), Lady Kaiba (Jealous Malik is funny... And can do nasty things ^^ That's why he's so interesting, he spices up the fic), Ly the werewolf (you practice aikido too? Great! *looks at the reviews* it took you 5 days to read the whole thing? O.O), firedraygon97 (I don't think I keep that good track of all those details... And I have this bad feeling that they're overwhelming me now, there's simply too much to remember... StD is beginning to remind me of the Wheel of Time series the way all the small details come back later and have grave importance O.o), Alana (Don't we all like fluffiness ^__^), abunai vampire sakura (I'm sorry, that _was_ a bad time to leave the story for such a long time..), Kyuugi (Lets see.. you reviewed on 18th, so that would make the wait merely...6 days? ^.~ The next chapter will be up around 27th, maybe earlier), kalie (*nods* I'm trying...), C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity (I thought that a good idea... And it twists the past deliciously to the present. You'll see what I mean when I write more...) and Queen Ali B (Why Yami decided to stop feeding on mortals...? Umm... Well you see... Urgh, forgot about that. I'll add it somewhere X.X And I didn't mean Marik and Ishtar being so funny, but since it works... Yes, I'm from Finland. If you need some specific words in Japanese, I can try to help with what little skill I have... Just contact me, I'd be happy to help. Seto's coat? I dunno. Imagine it being what you wish, I haven't thought on it. Could be the blue one ^.~ And yes, 5th day. Since it's already over midnight in this chapter, it would be Wednesday, but it began as Tuesday (obviously) I think that answers all your questions... O.o)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 22: Gathering Darkness  
  
---Ishtar POV---  
  
The sweet wounds on my throat were closing. I savored the fading pain, the dull ache bringing me a certain kind of pleasure. The pleasure that told me I was still alive, in a way. Still alive, despite all those centuries, despite all that pain, despite all those memories. Despite past love, despite past betrayal, despite past madness. Despite present madness. Despite present love.  
  
I grinned. It was all coming together now. Finally. I had no fear of death anymore, what would come would come. Perhaps death would claim me, it's wings folding around me gently, lulling me to eternal sleep. I craved to sleep so badly, but I couldn't. It had always been like that. It felt like forever. My life had been forever. But now it would end.  
  
Very probably.  
  
The Pharaoh still hadn't accepted we would die.  
  
Not my fault. He had had all that time to get used to the idea, and I had even helped him at some point. But no, he was too attached to life. Especially now that he had the mortal boy, now when he needed to embrace death more than ever.  
  
No-one had said that it would be easy. It didn't need to be. It wasn't even supposed to be. It was all an illusion. Illusion of darkness. Illusion of light. Illusion of love. Of blood, even.  
  
Blood that kept us going. Blood that called from the mortal, my mortal, the one that was me. Blood that made us strong. Blood that doomed us to the night.  
  
Oh, how fitting. I could feel my grin widening as I walked after Yami, Malik glued to my side and casting jealous glances at the Pharaoh's back. He was so possessive. Just the way I liked him to be. I couldn't help it, I started to giggle.  
  
Everything was finally coming together, everything was finally coming to an end.  
  
Yami looked back, puzzled. Malik merely glanced at me. He was somewhat used to my behavior now, he could sometimes even understand me. Amazing considering how little time we had been together. And how charming. He was taking the same path that I took, the path of madness. The path of pain and darkness and blood. The path of the night.  
  
That made me stop giggling. He shouldn't take my path, it was too dangerous. Even though I was ready to die, I didn't want _him_ to be. I wanted him to live, live in the light and enjoy the sun and the love and the good things in life. When he still could. I wanted him to be like me, but not like me, I wanted him to enjoy the light but live in the darkness.  
  
I didn't know what I wanted. There were so many possibilities. There were so many paths he could take, and be happy. What would be the most fitting for him?  
  
Perhaps the decision wasn't for me to make.  
  
"Just keep walking, Pharaoh. I want to meet that human of yours"  
  
I could see he hadn't thought he would have to let me close to his precious mortal. He didn't like the idea. At all.  
  
I laughed.  
  
"Relax, I won't harm him. Besides, I let you close to my human, the least you could do is repay the favor..."  
  
He accepted it, but he didn't like it. It all was visible to me, his feelings. For now. The connection that came from having him drink my blood was already fading. But while it was still there, I might as well use it.  
  
"Let's go already!"  
  
Yami glared at me. Perhaps he was having second thoughts about having me help him. I merely grinned at him. He was intelligent enough to see that he needed me if he was to have any chance of passing the next new moon.  
  
"We're already here. This is where Yugi lives"  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
We sat in silence. As we had sat in silence the last hour. There simply was nothing we could talk about. Nothing. What could a vampire and a human have to talk about? The gap between us was too great, our ways of thinking too different.  
  
And it was for the good. It was.  
  
I didn't need any humans to mess up my life, I was perfectly content without any annoying connections to this decade.  
  
The last long sleep I had gone through had lasted for 167 years. It was the longest time I had slept up to this day. But Yami had slept longer. I knew that for a fact, I had sensed his disappearance from the world 249 years before my own withdrawal. That could be called a long sleep. But he did have reason to do so. I wasn't sure yet what that reason had been, but it must have been something devastating for him. He wasn't easily shocked.  
  
I had a suspicion that whatever had caused his sleep would have been enough to kill someone weaker.  
  
But I couldn't very well go and ask him what had happened, now could I? Of course. We had never been in the best of terms after we had been Turned. As in to vampires.  
  
First drinking me nearly dry and then leaving me on the floor like a pile of thrash didn't exactly bring trust and friendship between us. Quite the contrary. But he had been my Pharaoh, I had to obey him. Or so I felt back then.  
  
No. Enough dwelling on the old times. I was starting to feel like a historian, the way all the small details were stored in my memory. Or better yet, ancient. That I was, of course, but I never felt all the years quite like when I was drowning in those old memories. It didn't matter now. This was the present.  
  
And at the present I had an annoying human in my office, brought there by the equally annoying brat that had labeled me his niisan. He kept staring at me.  
  
Not openly, of course, but out of the corner of his eyes. Little glances when I was looking around, conscious of my surroundings, and pondering long looks when he thought I was concentrating on my work.  
  
Little did he know that I couldn't concentrate on my work. I couldn't forget where I was - more like with whom. He kept intruding my thoughts. How could anyone concentrate with someone watching all the time?  
  
Okay, so I was a bit attracted to him. It shouldn't affect me this much. It had never affected me this much to have someone I liked watching me. And I had liked some persons during my long existence, as surprising as that might be to some people. They didn't know me. Not so well as they thought.  
  
"Why are you staring at me?"  
  
A nervous voice jolted me out of my thoughts. Staring? I raised an eyebrow. Who was staring here...?  
  
It took me a while to realize it. I _had_ been staring at him. Jounouchi. The human. Now his gaze kept shifting from me to the window to the door to the bookshelf to me again. He couldn't even keep his hands still, the nervous wreck. Not many people could take me looking at them, no wonder he was so jittery.  
  
Why did he come anyway? He could have avoided Mokuba, no matter what threats the brat had decided to choose.  
  
---Shadi POV---  
  
Yes... I was here now. I was close to my prey. Very close, in fact. One of them, the white-haired one with brown eyes, was in one of these houses on this street, I could feel his presence as I walked onwards. I hadn't been searching for any of them right now, just getting to know the battleground, but perhaps this was for the good. He could certainly feel my aura now...  
  
How would he react when he felt his enemy so close? What would he feel when he noticed that I had finally come to claim him? ...So fascinating. I couldn't kill him yet, of course, but perhaps I could meet him in person. How long had it been since I actually met any of them? So long... Too long. My revenge had waited for too long. The destiny had waited too long to be fulfilled. Perhaps I should kill him now after all.  
  
Oh yes, the potent blood of a vampire of his age, the amazing sights his soul must have seen along the millennia... It would be fascinating indeed to win over him, to feel his pain in the last moments of his so-called life. Perhaps I should.  
  
I walked on. If the opportunity presented itself, perhaps I would. For now, I was content to wait for a while longer. I had never been of the kind to hurry things needlessly, and I wasn't about to start now.  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
The vampire I had previously been so comfortably cuddled up with bolted up. I could feel his worry. I could feel even the touch of fear hiding behind it.  
  
What did it take to make a vampire afraid? Especially this vampire?  
  
I suddenly got worried. Indeed, what threat could possibly scare him?  
  
"Bakura..?"  
  
He turned to look at me. As if he had forgotten that I was there. And the look in his eyes... I didn't like it. It spoke nothing of his worry or his fear. It spoke of violence and hatred, of bloodlust and rising strength. Those were the eyes of the creature that had come after me that first night. I shrunk away from that gaze. Where had the sweet Bakura of before gone? Was this the extent of his kindness, he was willing to cast me away the moment something came up?  
  
"We need to go. And quick"  
  
"Go? But why?"  
  
"Don't question me, mortal! Get up and move!"  
  
I refused to look at him now. The anger in his eyes was too visible, too raw. I feared him now. I feared for my life, for my sanity. I feared that he would touch me despite his earlier behavior. Had it been an act? No, it couldn't have been. I could still feel his fear, his confusion. And I could feel the threat I had been feeling for several days coming closer.  
  
What was this? What was this feeling? Did _he_ know? Was that why he was so scared?  
  
Suddenly he grasped my arm and drew me to him.  
  
"I said move!"  
  
My eyes met his and found nothing but hatred. Then I was pressed against his chest tightly, my feet left the earth, and he was moving. He opened the window, hesitating for a small moment, perhaps checking the surroundings. Then he was on the move again, his arms surrounding me. The cold wind swept past, stirring my hair.  
  
I felt a small jolt as we hit the ground, but he didn't care, he was going. The doom, the threat, the one I had dreaded for several days came closer. And then I felt it getting more distant again, as if the threat was actually something that could be avoided by moving away from it. But I was sure it would find us again. What was it doing here anyway? What did it mean?  
  
No, I shouldn't think on it. No use doing that, I wasn't going to find out anyway. Not unless someone told me, or the doom decided to walk into my life itself.  
  
I shifted in the vampire's arms, trying to find a better position without greatly disturbing him. The way he acted right now, he might actually do something...bad. I shouldn't think on it. I shouldn't. But I couldn't stop my mind from wandering to directions I didn't want it to go to. How bothersome.  
  
"Stop moving around or you'll fall!"  
  
The low hiss stopped me. Just as I thought, he wasn't very pleased that I dared to move. I tried to be still, but it wasn't very easy even though he was clutching me as if I'd die if he let me go. Or maybe because of it. It made me nervous.  
  
No wonder.  
  
---  
  
AN: Hmm... Not as long as it could have been, but I felt like moving on to the next chapter. And because of that this story grows longer yet again X.X I'm _still_ in the fifth night! And as promised (in my bio), I'll try to get the next chapter out three days from posting this one. Please review? 


	23. Love of the Past

...Right. On to the 23rd chapter. Damn, this has grown from the oneshot it originally was. (Yami Shenya: You have said that before. Many times.)  
  
Greatful thanks to Asahi Taiga (I didn't think there was something so exciting about that chapter..), Karenu-anime (am trying...), Betrayal (heh, here's the longest chapter in a long while...), Yume Takato (it wasn't such a long wait this time, was it? *is please with herself*), Siobhan (Shadi? He's about as old as the vampires. Maybe a dozen years older, though. I'm not sure...He's not exactly a slayer, but... You'll find out. Good that I lured someone to read the prequel! ^.~), Chibizoo (eh... I know. But I'm writing now, and trying to post the chapters quickly. You read Anne Rice because of me? Wow...), Tatsutahime (thank you!), Burning-Yami-Rain (Ishtar's meant to do that ^^), Queen Ali B (Lookie, I finished the 5th night! Ryou and Bakura really go through tough times, but I _think_ they'll be fine in the end. But don't trust me on this O.O Yep, Ishtar's the dominant one. Mokuba will get his time - as will Seto and Jou later. I kind of managed to neglect them in this chapter...And my name? I don't know, it just popped to my head one day. Well, I can try to give you some phrases if you tell me what kind of phrases...Ack, I seem to respond too long to your reviews....), Neko-chan (*huggles Yami Bakura and Malik* I prefer Malik over his yami, thank you! He's just mad enough... ^.~ *stops and looks carefully at Neko-chan, then hides behind Ryou* You wouldn't hit an innocent hikari, would you? I'm safe, right? *peeks over Ryou's shoulder*), Yamis Girlfriend (this is not so short, and I'm hoping it's not any worse either...), MaidenoftheMoon (*evil laughter* intense it is, and more so it will get! Just you wait until I write the rest of it...), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (*sweatdrop* Uh... Sorry. I had this wonderful idea on S/J and...it wouldn't work if I wrote those two on this one so... X.x Gomen nasai....), climhazzard (add Osiris somehow..? Well, this is a spoiler of the worst kind but you'll have to wait until the sequel for that) and Seventh Sage (aha, we're a bunch of cheaters, are we? ^.~ Shadi's supposed to be a bit scary, or at least...odd. Bakura! *huggles him again* Bakura's great!)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 23: Love of the Past  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I was back at Yugi's again. Back at the house of my little angel. With Ishtar. Perhaps not the best thing I could have done, but I needed him, I needed his strength. No matter what might have happened in the past.  
  
And he _had_ helped me already, he had given me his blood - in a way his strength. I don't know what possessed him to offer it to me, but I was glad to receive it, even though some of the memories I could have done without. There was so much pain, so much suffering and blood in my past. There was so much cruelty. I was cruel. Or at least had been. I had been worse than Ishtar was now, even colder. I tried not to think of it. I needed to focus on the present.  
  
I could only hope that the others would forgive me, or at least cast the past aside enough for us to work together. And what I had seen of Bakura, the Thief, he wasn't willing to cooperate. Far from it. I could remember too well how he attacked me in the park I had been waiting for Yugi that one night.  
  
I cast out my mind, searching for a certain presence. This was a trick I had learned on the first weeks of being a vampire. Yes, he was here, too close. The Soul Eater. He was in the same city. I withdrew back to my body, he could sense me more clearly when I was doing that mindsearch. I didn't know if he could sense me well enough even without it to know exactly where I was, but I didn't want to take chances.  
  
"If we're here, then perhaps we should go in"  
  
I looked at the tanned human by the Guardian's side. He was glaring at me, again. What had I done to make him so angry at me? Surely sharing a little blood wasn't enough to bring about this reaction? I clutched my Puzzle. That human was somehow making me nervous.  
  
"Yami!"  
  
I turned quickly, only to have my vision blocked by black and red softness. I embraced this short creature, smiling slightly to his hair.  
  
"I was so worried! Where did you go?"  
  
"I needed to... think things through. And feed. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was leaving"  
  
I had been so depressed I hadn't really cared. How could I have ever thougth about leaving this sweet human? He was my everything.  
  
"That's okay. The important thing is that you're back now"  
  
He was too forgiving. Too gentle. Surely the world would shred him apart if he ever ventured out. I could only wonder why that hadn't happened yet.  
  
"Yes. I'm back and I won't go away again."  
  
He looked up at me and smiled, his eyes shedding the light of love.  
  
"Yeah yeah, can we go in now?"  
  
I turned and frowned at Ishtar. He had no right to interfere with this. Yugi looked at the two tall boys, curiously regarding their nearly similar features. And the way the human was plastered all over the taller vampire.  
  
"Are they like us? I mean...with Items? And such...things..."  
  
I nodded, and sighed. I wouldn't really enjoy explaining all that bound us together, no matter how important it was. It was too complicated. We had known each other for too long. There were things that could never be explained, and better left so.  
  
"Ishtar has the Rod. And Marik is his human."  
  
A content expression came over Malik's face with those words. Was he so happy to be owned now? ...I guess that wasn't so bad. Considering the situation.  
  
"They want to help me defeat Shadi..."  
  
"Not necessarily defeat, you _do_ know that might turn out to be impossible... But at least spend the rest of my pathetic life with a touch of fun in it"  
  
Ishtar grinned again. Couldn't he stop acting like that for a minute?  
  
"If we give up already, there's no way we would live after encountering him. Have a little faith, would you? You're worrying the humans!"  
  
It was true, I sensed how a spark of fear woke within Yugi, and even Marik seemed somehow uncomfortable. It was no wonder, they were only young humans, they shouldn't be given such worries.  
  
"Who cares what the humans think?"  
  
I cringed at the new voice. Not him, not now...  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
We had come to a sudden stop. At first I was so dizzy I couldn't see, but then I noticed a familiar house nearby. We were at Yugi's?  
  
The deep voice I knew so well commented from somewhere up on something I didn't manage to catch. I looked around, trying to identify the people around me.  
  
Yugi...and that other one who looked like him... And two people I knew nothing about. I don't know why, but they gave me the creeps. Something about the way they were standing and watching with those disturbing eyes... It felt like they could see more than any of the others here.  
  
"I do. And you should, too" the person beside Yugi spoke. He was commanding, as I remembered him to be. Perhaps more so, somehow.  
  
"If you do not care about the humans, you'll soon be dead. Not that you will not be that soon anyway" One of the other two persons commented. The one with darker skin, and that madly flying hair. What did he do to them to get them stay like that?  
  
"Didn't I tell you to be a bit more optimistic?"  
  
"Are you threatening me?" My own vampire demanded haughtily. He didn't seem pleased. Not that I had ever expected him to be, after such a comment.  
  
"No, I'm not threatening you. I'm merely stating the obvious. Shadi will catch you with _that_ attitude"  
  
"Would you shut up about that already? We have to _try_!" Yugi's companion seemed to think that this was very important. Perhaps it was. I didn't know what they were talking about. I leaned against Bakura, wishing to be somewhere else.  
  
"I'll try, I just don't necessarily think that we'll survive that try"  
  
"_No_ one will catch me! If you don't happen to remember, I even survived all the traps in Pharaoh Akunamkanon's [1] grave! No ordinary thief could have achieved that feat!" Bakura was comforting, even if he was angry. He wasn't angry at me... I looked up to him and quickly averted my eyes, they were glowing with the desire to kill someone.  
  
"Dream on. I can remember a certain night when I -" Trying to soothe my mind, I looked at the tanned person again. He looked...mischievous. Persons who sounded that crazy didn't have a right to look mischievous. It made me think what the might end up doing.  
  
"That's it! No more of that night, I told you I let you catch me on purpose!"  
  
"What night would this be?"  
  
"You just keep saying that..." He still didn't sound any more sane than before. Perhaps less so.  
  
"You weren't there, Pharaoh. Thank the gods, you would have started preaching about how vampires aren't supposed to be together, once again" Pharaoh? Why was Bakura calling him a pharaoh?  
  
"I don't preach!"  
  
"Yes you do. And Bakura, if I remember correctly you were screaming bloody murder when I caught you"  
  
"It was an act!"  
  
"I resent that statement. Take it back" The haughty tone seemed natural to the slightly taller version of Yugi. A pharaoh? I shook my head. Perhaps this was a bit too weird for me.  
  
"I was still supposed to be depressed over Yami, what did you expect?"  
  
"Like hell I am. You still can't take the truth about yourself, it seems" Ouch. This 'pharaoh' guy should have known better than to say that to my vampire.  
  
I looked at the three with wide eyes. What was this..? Glancing at Yugi and the third one left out of the conversation, I noticed them to be equally baffled, both looking back and forth between those quarreling...people.  
  
Now that I though on it, they all had a certain dangerous aura around them... And the way they spoke...could it be possible that the three were vampires, all of them?  
  
It would make sense, there was a resemblance between Yugi and...Yami? and between those two others, just like me and Bakura looked the same. What was going on here?  
  
Suddenly the third human stepped toward the one that looked somewhat like him, and raised his hands.  
  
"We are getting nowhere if you keep fighting like that. Whatever happened is in the past now, don't you think it's time to forget and move on?"  
  
Bakura snorted, casting a cold look on him.  
  
"You are one to talk, you weren't there. Past is why we are here, show a little respect for your elders!"  
  
"Show a little respect to _my_ human!"  
  
"Make me"  
  
The words were delivered in a low and malicious voice, his eyes glinting red and the Ring suddenly seeming to glow with a life of its own. This wasn't good.  
  
The other vampire took out a long, golden stick with some kind of a golden sphere with wings on the other end of it, the aura of danger around him magnifying greatly. The...thing seemed to have the same kind of glint than the Ring. This definitely wasn't good.  
  
Yami's stance seemed to change, he was somehow ready to fight now. The Puzzle hanging from a chain glowed softly in the dark night. I could see a faint outline of...something on his forehead. Oh no... I felt ready to bolt to a safer place. Really, I should go home. No use getting involved in a supernatural fight. Someone please stop this...?  
  
"I will not allow you to ruin our chance of survival. Calm down. Save your strength to fight the Soul Eater."  
  
"You're one to talk! The one who knew best what was coming was you, yet what do you do? Refuse to drink from humans, and then sleep for centuries! Take care of your own mistakes first!"  
  
"...I already did. I have strength enough to match you, no matter how barely. Not to mention I was always the one in our group to come up with the strategies"  
  
"Your memory is deceiving you. Everyone took part"  
  
"That was later on, I was talking about the early times"  
  
"That's hardly 'always'!"  
  
"Please, would you calm down?"  
  
My soft voice startled the vampires. I think I startled myself with it. All three of them were looking at me now. Their faces were expressionless. I couldn't stand still, I fidgeted nervously no matter how hard I tried to be still.  
  
"You obviously need to solve things out between yourselves, but can't you do it _without_ killing each other?"  
  
Bakura folded his hands over his chest. Yami started to speak, still showing no emotion.  
  
"Your human speaks wisely, Bakura. We need to make peace among ourselves if we are to win"  
  
"He's interfering where he shouldn't. It's none of his business"  
  
"But it is"  
  
The third vampire decided to speak up.  
  
"The humans are a part of this as much as we are. Although the Soul Eater might not be after them, they will still be affected."  
  
"Nonsense. They have nothing to do with this"  
  
"But they have... I have a confession to make"  
  
Everyone's attention turned to him, even Bakura eyed him, grudgingly interested.  
  
"When I was a human... I saw visions. Prophecies. Most of them were meaningless, small things that have passed long since. But...once I had a vision about a certain scroll and its whereabouts. The prophecy. About us. I was so obsessed I searched it out and read it."  
  
"So you brought it to my palace?"  
  
"Yes. But there's more. What I brought wasn't all of it. Immediately when I found the darned thing I read it"  
  
"You already mentioned that"  
  
"Would you let me finish?"  
  
After a small silence he continued.  
  
"I was so shocked about a part of it that I ripped it apart."  
  
"What?!"  
  
After the short exclamation a shocked silence fell. I felt uncomfortable. What prophecy? Why was it so important?  
  
"You... you ripped a sacred prophecy? How could you do that?"  
  
"...I was very young. I didn't like what I read."  
  
"Do you remember what it said?"  
  
"I couldn't forget it. It's like the words were carved into my mind with a hot knife. 'Half and half, dark and light. One needs the other to live, the other needs the other to stay sane. Dark presence of the three ancient ones will taint the innocence, yet nurture it.'"  
  
My mind was overworking tonight, it seemed. It refused to grasp the full meaning of that, though it gave me a horrid feel of destiny that I couldn't avoid.  
  
Yugi scuffled closer to Yami, looking lost.  
  
"What exactly does that mean?"  
  
Yami looked away from him, refusing to give an answer.  
  
"I think it says that you three are going to die if we die. As simple as that"  
  
Bakura's words hit me like a lightning, although not from a clear sky. The sky of my mind had stormed over some time ago.  
  
I gave a little yelp and stumbled forward to support myself on my scary vampire's back. No no no, this was absolute unacceptable! What was the thing about them dying, I wanted him to be around! Not that I was so fond of dying myself...  
  
The vampire sighed impatiently, but I disregarded it. I needed to feel him now, even if it annoyed him... I needed his support. I needed his strength.  
  
And he wasn't willing to give it to me.  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
I looked at my hot vampire companion. Was he serious? He really looked like it.  
  
"So...basically our hope of living lies with you three?"  
  
Ishtar nodded gravely. I had never seen him so serious... Something in me exploded.  
  
"Then what the fuck do you think you're doing fighting like that?! I can tell you, I have no desire to die just yet!"  
  
He glanced at me.  
  
"Really? It didn't seem like that when I first came to your house. You were so weak from losing blood that you could have easily died!"  
  
I shuddered. Did he have to remind me?  
  
"Now... Don't mind me, I'm just angry at those two. I didn't mean to..."  
  
Worried eyes looked down at me, framed by platinum colored hair and his dark skin.  
  
"It's okay..."  
  
He planted a small kiss on my mouth, obviously soothed by those simple words.  
  
"Perhaps we should go on our own ways for tonight yet and get back here tomorrow. I mean the next time sun falls below the horizon. It would give us all time to think about our motives and be with the humans. We might need those memories when Shadi shows up"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with that human anymore."  
  
The flat out refusal confused me. I could feel something was wrong with those two, but... I hadn't been expecting that. The way the white-haired boy clung to the equally white-haired vampire spoke of deep caring, or perhaps of deep need for the other. Could it be possible that Bakura didn't return his feelings in any way? I found it hard to believe, despite what I had seen and heard tonight.  
  
"Are you _still_ refusing to feel anything but hatred? Get over it. Past is past."  
  
/What the heck happened?/  
  
//It's for him to tell. But it was thousands of years ago//  
  
I was surprised to put it mildly when I heard Ishtar's response echo in my mind.  
  
/What...?/  
  
//Never mind. You just projected your thoughts to me, that's all. Nothing out of the ordinary. Happens to some people around vampires//  
  
"Well _excuse_ me..."  
  
"Bakura. I do not want the past to bother you. I'm sorry for what I did"  
  
"You're a bit late for that"  
  
"I hope you can forgive me..."  
  
"Forgive you?! I loved you, and you _dared_ to... Forget it. I'm gone. Beware of Shadi; he nearly got me a while ago. Look after the human"  
  
With that he was simply...gone. Disappeared. Like he never even was there. The boy who looked so much like him stumbled a bit before regaining his balance. He looked confused. I turned my attention to Yami.  
  
He stood there, holding Yugi tightly, eyes tightly shut.  
  
I could feel Ishtar's arms snake around me gently.  
  
"I think we should all stay together until this little matter with the Soul Eater is finished. That way we'll be less vulnerable."  
  
Yami didn't even look up at Ishtar's voice, but Yugi nodded sadly.  
  
---  
  
[1] Akunamkanon is Yami's father. At least according to the site I got that from *hoping it really is right*  
  
AN: *giggle* A request fic or picture for the one that realizes first what mistake the vampires made! I'm not telling where they made it, though, you'll have to figure it out completely by yourself... I wonder if anyone actually gets it (or reads this note)...? Next chapter should be up in four days. Please review!  
  
(Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fic after I started reposting it. I will respond to you in the next chapter, the new one. Hopefully it won't be such a long time away - the above note was obviously written when I first posted this chapter) 


	24. Love of the Present

The deleting of my fic got me into a real big writer's block.... *sigh* Well, I'm back now. I _promised_ to finish writing StD no matter what! ^.~ I've been busy doing scanlations of Yugioh, just in case you want to know. It's very... fascinating. Addictive. For now I've done... Wait. This has nothing to do with the fic. *points below* Go ahead and read the new chapter, I worked my ass off for it.  
  
Vampiric thanks to the ones who reviewed StD ch 23 before it got deleted: Yamis Girlfriend, Alana (hey, you got the right answer... I emailed you about it, but either you don't want anything or then didn't get it. Please contact me if you want me to write/draw something for you), Asahi Taiga, Queen Ali B (_now_ I'm on the sixth night, the last chapter was still of the fifth. Heh... You got it right, too... If you feel like it, I can transfer the prize to you if the first who guessed it right doesn't contact me...say, in a week.), Jadesaber, Jadej.j, Chibizoo, Yume Takato, Seventh Sage, Yami Trekkie, Siobhan (oh yes, everything important that happened in the past will be written on Paths of Blood), Betrayal, Labannya, Renee the Rabid Squirrel, jeti, Ly the werewolf and Hotaru the Demon Goddess (Yami's father...? You could try www .yugioh. esmartkid.com. Yami's mother also to be found there... And several other interesting details. For scanlations, find Jenniyah's site! ^.~ )  
  
And a huge thanks goes out to the ones who reviewed after reposting: chibi_ai, Lady Geuna (thank you. And believe me, I've considered AFF...), Shortyredd17 (thank you), Yamis Girlfriend (thank you. I hope you're not too pissed off that I didn't update for such a long while... and yes, this is a new one! ^^), Tjay Motou (thank you! ^^), Yume Takato (...I wish I knew why it got deleted. I'm planning on semi-regular updates now, last time when I planned it this got deleted and it ate my inspiration...), Kendarath, Zypher Dragon a.k.a. Diamond (*blinks* a muse? Well thank you! ^^), Synchronized Love (thank you! ^.^), jeti (I completely agree), Moon Angel (I hope so too... *sigh*), Aisling Kaiba (...*blush* Forgive me for the long break), Sarith McGregor (thank you! *blush* That was needed! ^^; ), Sugar-Goddess (strange? *blinks* Yeah, I know what you mean. But it was necessary for the development of the plot. ^^;; I hope I didn't keep you waiting _too_ long...), Karenu-anime, Seventh Sage (I believe you reviewed every chapter. And you're the only one who bothered to do that. Thank you thank you thank you thank you! *huggles*), Labannya (heh... you don't have to review, of course, but I greatly appreciate every person who does review my fics... Especially in this one!), MaidenoftheMoon (hehheh... *sweatdrop* well, it didn't take _that_ long to repost, it's just that posting new stuff presented a problem...), LiLiachencko-sama (thank you!), Betrayal (thank you! ^.^), Jadej.j (*laughs* actually I'm waiting for that part, too... I've been pretty much neglecting S/J fans in the latest chapters, have I? *sigh*), Tigre MoonStorme, jeanette (...I'm sorry, I like the Ishtar and Marik name-system more. But suggestions are of course always welcome! ^^), Spiget, PanDora, Isis (...I do? I'll go fix that. It's meant to be 'Marik' all the time, I've just read way too much stuff with 'Malik' in it... ^^;; ), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (hmm... I wish I knew, too... But the email I got from the administration didn't really explain anything... *sigh*), tati (...*blush* Thank you... Praise is always welcome! ^.^) and firedraygon97 (well, the fic apparently violated some of the guidelines so it got booted out... *sigh* Shadi after Seto? ...no. Not exactly. You'll know more when you read on... The same thing to your question on Bakura. It's revealed right there. *points to the fic page*) ...only so few? *sigh* Even put together these don't take as much space as in the 'best days' of this fic... *broods*  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 24: Love of the Present  
  
---Seto POV---  
  
Now really. This was getting annoying. Why the heck did I do what I did last night? I guess I had been somewhat freaked out by the way I had been staring at him without noticing. I wasn't the kind to lose track of myself like that.  
  
But... It hadn't been any justification to treat the human like that.  
  
I groaned. I was starting to feel guilty? Really, perhaps I had spent a bit too much time around humans. I couldn't afford feelings. I couldn't afford guilt, and I especially couldn't afford love. The world was such a place that it didn't allow anything resembling happiness to my kind. Something always comes up. Fear, fights, fury, death. Death by one's own hands. Death by another's hands. Death by old age.  
  
Age. Time... Time was an enemy as was pretty much everything else.  
  
I stood, watching out from a huge window, watching the world beneath my feet. It was getting somewhat late, but people kept walking around, going about their business. Not knowing that there were things in the night that could do a lot worse things to them than their wildest nightmares dared to show. In fact, some of those things _were_ in the dreams, the nightmares, people's minds, searching for something that would keep them alive for the next century or so. Only once I had encountered such a creature. I had barely survived it.  
  
And that was saying much.  
  
I didn't like admitting defeat, but there were things out there that even such an ancient vampire as I couldn't defeat if I lived for yet another thousand years.  
  
I sighed, marvelling how the streetlights illuminated the humans walking by. I could see the light fall to black leather, glisten off a wedding ring, reflect the inner light of white hair.  
  
White hair that looked suspiciously familiar.  
  
White hair soon disappeared within this building.  
  
He couldn't have... He had other things to worry about. He wouldn't have come here. He had no reason. Absolutely no reason.  
  
Or did he have?  
  
Had something gone terribly wrong?  
  
I made myself stand still. If it indeed was him, he would come to me. There was no reason for me to go to him, if he wanted something he'd need to search me out. I didn't want to be looked upon as a servant.  
  
As I thought, very soon I heard footsteps from the hallway outside of my office, and right after that a pissed off vampire marched in.  
  
"What can I do to help you?"  
  
"Shut up"  
  
"Really now? I must ask, what are you doing here if you're merely planning on moodily pacing around my office?"  
  
"I said shut up!"  
  
Now... This was intolerable. I couldn't have him snap at me like that, after showing up from nowhere. Did he expect me to take it just like that?  
  
"Don't take it out on me if you managed to screw up your relationship with that human of yours. I'm sure _he_ is not to blame, I know what he's like and he definitely wouldn't do anything resembling that."  
  
He stopped from the constant walking, fastening his baleful eyes on me.  
  
"I. Did. Not. Screw. It. Up."  
  
I could feel one of my eyebrows rising. Someone had issues.  
  
"That was pointed."  
  
"It was supposed to be"  
  
"That much I understood. What happened."  
  
"Nothing"  
  
He looked away from me, perhaps gazing out of the window. It seemed that it really wasn't 'nothing' that had happened.  
  
"Suit yourself. I'm not your babysitter. You're a big guy - or at least you should be - I'm _sure_ you can handle it by yourself."  
  
I sat in front of my desk and started working. He'd come around soon. He wouldn't be able to take the silence.  
  
Minutes passed. Bakura walked to the window and pretended not to notice me. It seemed weird at fist that he wouldn't have left already, but perhaps his past self had begun to surface again. Now that'd be miracle. Or perhaps not so - who knew what their human halves could do to them?  
  
I was suddenly glad I wasn't involved in this.  
  
I was glad my pharaoh hadn't thrown me one of the Millennium Items.  
  
Even though it had been the thing I had most craved for for so many years...  
  
Yet more time ticked by. He still hadn't said a word. It worked for me, I had things to do. Running a corporation of this size wasn't exactly easy, even for me. It wasn't overwhelming, of course not, but it required a lot of attention.  
  
"I met Yami and Ishtar"  
  
Turning to look at him, I crossed my arms and waited for more. It seemed that I had to babysit after all.  
  
"We had a small fight"  
  
Yes. Last night. There had been a sudden surge in the shadow powers... Not noticeable if I hadn't been looking for it, but it was there.  
  
I waited for more.  
  
"The past came up..."  
  
Ouch. That must've been bad. None of us liked to remember, no matter what appearances we put up to the world. The pharaoh was an exception, of course. Perhaps he liked to torture himself.  
  
"When... when they mentioned some things I completely lost my patience and left"  
  
"And your human?"  
  
"He's with them. I wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave him alone at a time like this."  
  
He laughed bitterly.  
  
"After all, if I am to stay even remotely sane, I need him to stay alive..."  
  
Confusion welled up within me. What...?  
  
"There was a twist in this whole prophecy thing. I think... I think we need all the help we can get to survive this. But then again, Ishtar's convinced we won't."  
  
So... He had come here to beg for help after all. How fitting.  
  
"Don't look at me, you'll have to survive this by yourselves. I have enough problems of my own, thank you very much."  
  
He turned disbelieving eyes to me.  
  
"...what?"  
  
"No matter how much I love to see you asking for help, I have no intention of getting involved. Now, if that was all, you can leave my office."  
  
He looked at me for a while. I looked back. At last he walked away.  
  
I was surprised he hadn't protested more.  
  
But I really had enough problems of my own.  
  
Like the one golden-haired human.  
  
I sighed.  
  
Why did this have to be so difficult?  
  
---Shadi POV---  
  
Yes... Yes, interesting indeed. Last night not long after I had been so near to one of my preys, I had felt an unmistakable surge in power. In the power that could easily wipe out the entire planet, if used in a right way.  
  
They were getting nervous. They knew I was here, just biding my time. Waiting for them to make a mistake. Waiting to kill them, and make things the way they were supposed to be.  
  
I wouldn't do that yet.  
  
I had sensed yet another definite disturbance in the power.  
  
Another.  
  
Another one of those that were mine was near.  
  
Yes, the power to see the future and the past would be very welcome indeed...  
  
I walked on, heading for the source of that power.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
I looked tiredly as Yugi and Ryou played some game on the floor. Perhaps I should try that one some day. It looked like they were having fun.  
  
Marik sat on a chair to the right of me, reading a magazine. Frankly, I wasn't really interested in what he did as long as he kept his hands off of my Yugi. And Ryou, of course. I wouldn't want the Tomb Robber to try to kill him when he returned. It would only bring disagreement in our little group, and I was sure that Ishtar wouldn't take well to his human being attacked.  
  
But did he have to be so...I didn't even know what I should call Marik. Daring, perhaps. He was very different from Yugi and Ryou. And yet, there was something so similar in all of them... Perhaps it was just my imagination.  
  
Ishtar was standing in the doorframe, lost in his own thoughts. He hadn't spoken much during the time we had been here. Perhaps why Marik had tried touching _my_ Yugi.  
  
I couldn't help it, I had to turn to glare at him again. He glanced up with an arrogant smirk on his face, then went back to his magazine. He was so... so...  
  
Sighing, I turned back to watching how Yugi used clever tactics over and over again to get out of the tough situations Ryou was putting him in in the game.  
  
He was pretty good.  
  
I wasn't exactly sure which one that comment meant. They were both pretty good. But I was sure Yugi would win.  
  
Ryou looked so much like Bakura I had to blink every now and then to confirm I wasn't seeing things. A gentler version of Bakura, certainly, but still Bakura. Perhaps what he had looked like back then, 3000 years ago.  
  
Bakura... where was he...? He had been gone for so long already... Wasn't he going to join us anymore? When he had left, I had been so sure he'd be back soon. It wasn't in his nature to stay away from the heart of things.  
  
Perhaps I was wrong...  
  
That galled. I shouldn't be wrong. Never.  
  
---Marik POV---  
  
I pretended to read the stupid magazine. These people were pissing me off. Didn't they remember anymore what danger we were in? Didn't they remember that we needed to do something about it? So what if one brooding vampire wasn't here, it was no excuse in my mind to delay the inevitable.  
  
The inevitable... the conclusion... the Soul Eater. The destiny. The fulfilling of the prophecy.  
  
I lowered the magazine slowly and stared off to space. Could this _get_ any more serious? I felt so overwhelmed in all this. To think that we had been known so long ago, to think that our lives had been known so long ago. It was so amazing. Made me think what the world really was like. Were most of the people living in ignorance?  
  
Hell yeah.  
  
But it shouldn't be so. It should never be so.  
  
People should know everything, that the world wasn't so safe after all.  
  
---  
  
AN: Ehh... Sorry, the Shadi, Yami, and Malik POVs are pretty short, I know. But you _did_ get a new chapter, so don't complain too much? *big chibi eyes* Please~? And review...? I'll try to be a good girl and write the next chapter soon, 'kay? 


	25. Misunderstandings

...here I am again. Chapter 25... So many to go yet... X.x  
  
I got a Xanga weblog in case you're interested... Feel free to read it sometimes if you have extra time in your hands...  
  
Writing this fic this far wouldn't have been possible without my reviewers. Thanks to SoulDreamer (thank you...), Renee the Rabid Squirrel (well, at least the wait wasn't so very long this time... ^^;;), SilverLily aka Blood Moon (...'one of the greatest stories on ff.net'? O.O), YumeTakato (this wasn't very soon.... *sigh* But Jou shows up in this chapter! ^__^), Betrayal (ideas seem to be really elusive nowadays... X.x), firedraygon97 (yeah, it seems that Seto is getting colder, if that's even possible...), Kerena Darklight (I know, the really short POVs were there just to show that I haven't forgotten those characters... ^^;;), Seventh Sage (oh yes, Isis will get in biiig trouble... *giggles* But it's fun to write!), Ly the Werewolf (a dash more S/J... I'm repeating myself, but I have some trouble writing that particular pairing for some reason. But in the end you'll get all the S/J you could hope for... ^.~), Isis (^^;;), Yamis Girlfriend (...one of the greatest stories you've ever read? O.O I seem to be getting this comment a lot these days...), Iyasu (^^;; This isn't so very soon, but at least it's not as late as the last chapter was...) and Nimn (chapter has been sent. ^^)  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 25: Misunderstandings  
  
---Jounouchi POV---  
  
Well then. One more night ahead of me. I peeked past a corner. Good. No vampires in sight. I could continue.  
  
This whole thing was affecting me more than I would have thought if someone had come to tell me a week ago that vampires existed, and one of them seemed to... like me. I shuddered. 'Like' was such a mild word for it. 'Obsession', more like.  
  
I hadn't had a moment's piece since I had stumbled on Yugi and Yami... Now there was one more thing to be worried of. What was going on here? Yugi had acted so weird these last days... Not to mention Ryou... That possessive bastard that was behaving like he _owned_ him, and Ryou went with him _willingly_! I shook my head. I hadn't thought the guy would have done that.  
  
But then again... I didn't know him all that well. I mean sure, he was there, he was a friend, sort of, but... I never bothered to get to know him better. Perhaps I should have. He could certainly use some help right now... Perhaps I should search him out right now. Yeah, might be a good idea. That Seto guy wouldn't come if I was with Ryou, would he? It's not like I had a problem with him, it was just that he was so confusing...  
  
Yeah, moving on. I probably couldn't get to Ryou right now anyway, that possessive vampire that had dragged him around when I had last seen him outside of school would probably be with him. And they wouldn't want interruptions. I shuddered again. And neither would Yugi and Yami, if I got it right.  
  
Yugi had seemed very tired at school this week. What was he...? No. _I_ was tired at school, too. That didn't mean anything.  
  
But that didn't change the fact that the whole world had gone weird. And a lot more dangerous. What if there were more vampires around here? I had absolutely no way to defend myself against them.  
  
Perhaps that Seto guy could ward them off... He _was_ a vampire, after all.  
  
No!  
  
Absolutely no! Not after what he did last night!  
  
Screw it, no matter what Yugi was doing right now, I was going to him. I couldn't take this isolation.  
  
Hints were plenty, but I had no actual knowledge of what was happening... Yugi wouldn't tell me at school, and neither would Ryou - not that I had tried that hard. One fact that I regretted. It was completely useless to try getting anything out of Seto, and the other vampires I hadn't met besides those few times. Not that I even wanted to, I wasn't sure what they could do if they weren't with their precious little lovers. I couldn't shrug off the feeling that something more was going on than merely several dangerous affairs with very dangerous vampires...  
  
I headed off to Yugi's house.  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
The sound of the doorbell ringing was heard throughout the house. I was suddenly on my feet, concentrating my senses to find out if something dangerous was coming. Thankfully it wasn't the Soul Eater, I would have sensed him long before this - and I very much doubted he would have rang the doorbell... Ishtar had woken from his thoughts, and seemed to be as attentive as I was now.  
  
Yugi and Ryou looked up from their game. Marik continued staring off into space. What was _his_ problem?  
  
No matter. I had more pressing matters to take care of.  
  
"Yugi, Ryou, stay here. I'll go open the door"  
  
Wide violet eyes turned to look at me.  
  
"Okay. You be careful."  
  
I walked out of the room, trying to identify the aura waiting outside the house. I knew I had met it somewhere... But it wasn't Bakura, as I had first hoped. He wouldn't have rang the doorbell either, now that I had had time to think on it. Not to mention there was someone else, too, someone I didn't recognize.  
  
Reaching the door, I stood quietly behind it.  
  
"What's the matter, Yami? Why isn't anyone opening the door?"  
  
I nearly jumped at the new voice coming from behind me. Oh no... I had completely forgotten about him.  
  
"Just slow, Mutou-san."  
  
I faked a smile to Yugi's grandfather and opened the door cautiously. And blinked.  
  
How many persons could I forget existed?  
  
Yugi's mother and his friend, the one called Jounouchi stood behind the door. I sensed trouble... We couldn't afford to include too many people in the prophecy, and if they were around us... well, the results might not be pleasant. The Soul Eater might not spare them if they came in his way.  
  
Yugi's mother blinked.  
  
"Oh, hello. Who are you?"  
  
I cringed. Yeah, it might be a bit weird to have strangers open the door in your own house.  
  
"I'm Yami. Yugi's friend"  
  
Jounouchi raised an eyebrow at this. I ignored him, for now. Sugoroku Mutou took off the explanation from there.  
  
"Yugi has a few friends staying over. They were here yesterday, too."  
  
"Oh. Well, it's good that Yugi has friends!"  
  
She smiled and came in. Jounouchi followed, casting sidelong glances at me.  
  
"I met Jounouchi-kun on the way here. He was coming over, too. Isn't that wonderful? So many friends here tonight. But isn't it a bit late?"  
  
She paused and blinked slowly. I quickly sent a little tendril of energy in her and Sugoroku Mutou's direction, erasing the doubts rising in their minds. We _could_ of course claim we were staying for the night, but then it would get us in trouble when the morning came. We had to leave before that.  
  
"Well, I'll take Jounouchi to the others. It was nice to meet you, Mutou- san"  
  
I grabbed Jounouchi's hand and dragged him in the direction of the living room. He was suspiciously looking from me to Yugi's mother to his grandfather and back to me. Great... Just what I needed. Another suspicious mortal.  
  
But I suspected that Yugi wouldn't take it well if I played around with his friend's mind, he was having enough trouble with me manipulating his relatives. And not just me, Ishtar too. He _did_ have the advantage of the Rod... Sometimes that was really good to have around.  
  
We stepped inside the living room, past Ishtar's emotionless eyes. I could feel Jounouchi draw away from him as we passed.  
  
"Nothing dangerous, just him and -"  
  
"Jounouchi-kun!"  
  
I didn't have time to finish what I was saying as Yugi bounded to his feet.  
  
---Ryou POV---  
  
I looked interestedly as Yugi practically flew to his friend.  
  
"Jounouchi-kun, what are _you_ doing here?"  
  
"What, it's a crime nowadays to visit friends?"  
  
I couldn't help but notice that Jounouchi didn't really sound like his own self. Was something wrong? ...yeah, probably was. None of us were spared some wrongness in our lives.  
  
...where _was_ Bakura right now? Why didn't he come back? I tried not to sigh. Why didn't he come back to me? Did the past really affect him that much? It probably did, now that I thought of it. To have so many memories dragging you down... It must be horrible for them.  
  
I watched as Jounouchi drew a little away from Yugi, a slight frown on his face now.  
  
"Yugi. I know you haven't been so willing to tell me what's going on lately... But I really need to know. I can't take this anymore... I can see things happening, I know that some of them aren't normal... And that my best friend isn't willing to share what he knows isn't making things any better!"  
  
He was really distressed, I could feel it. Even from this distance I felt like his emotions were drowning me with their intensity... Sometimes I cursed this ability. It didn't work when I wanted it to, it didn't cease working when I wanted it to... I had absolutely no control over it.  
  
The small wounds on my neck itched. Were they supposed to do that? Perhaps I should ask someone. But, glancing at Ishtar, who stared at Yugi and Jounouchi impassively, and letting my gaze slide past Yami, who seemed frustrated for some reason, I decided asking either of them wasn't something I wanted to do...  
  
I sighed and tried to follow the conversation. It was the only interesting thing happening right now.  
  
...where was Bakura? I needed him here!  
  
---Shadi POV---  
  
Ah, yes... She was right there, behind this door... The poor thing didn't know that I was here, she couldn't have heard, seen, or otherwise sensed me. I _did_ have certain advantages over common people...  
  
The door opened silently before me. I could see a black-haired woman raise her head from her papers, startled. Maybe she had reason to be. I could sense fear rising in her as she saw me standing in the doorway.  
  
What did she think I was?  
  
She didn't need to be afraid of me. I was the protector... I wouldn't harm her. Too much.  
  
As was the case with the man who had the Eye, she hadn't stolen the Item she carried. I doubted she even knew it had powers. People these days were so ignorant... But perhaps it was for the best. They didn't need to walk in constant fear of the creatures of the night anymore. My kind had done well in exterminating them, besides. I had hardly sensed any unholy creatures beside my prey...  
  
"Do not be afraid, dear. Do as I wish and you will not be harmed"  
  
This didn't seem to calm her down at all; it made her more afraid if anything. What was wrong with people nowadays?  
  
I kept my eyes at her, but probed around the room with little tendrils of energy. She was obviously not going to help me in what I needed to get, so I would need to find it myself.  
  
It took me a while to realize I couldn't sense it anywhere anymore. My attention immediately turned back to her, my understanding of the situation I put her in decreased.  
  
"What have you done with it?"  
  
"Done with what?"  
  
Her calm answer ascertained the fact that she did indeed know how to use the Tauk, and had done something so I couldn't get to it. There simply was no other explanation to this.  
  
"Do not pretend to be innocent, woman! I know you've done something to hide that which is mine. Give it to me now, and I may leave you alive"  
  
"I have no idea what you are talking about."  
  
I could sense a small hesitation in her. That did it. This was a deliberate try to keep me from my goal.  
  
---  
  
AN: Sorry for the shortness, I wanted to get this posted... It's already over a week late... ^^;; At least it's longer than the last chapter... No promises of the next update, but I'm working on it. Please review? 


	26. Winning the Future

Next chapter is here... Sorry for the lateness, again. ^^;;; All I seem to do lately is post chapters late...  
  
Am currently in a bit of a hurry, so you'll get review responses with the next chapter. Also, if you're interested, I'll be posting a new oneshot next Friday, and any feedback on this or that on would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy the latest chapter... ^^  
  
Slaying the Dreamer, chapter 26: Winning the Future  
  
---Ishtar POV---  
  
Something was wrong. Something was really wrong. Concentrating my senses inward, I tried to find the source of this feeling. Something... feminine. What...?  
  
I couldn't understand this feeling... Where was it coming from? As far as I could remember, I hadn't met any women lately, except...  
  
Except...  
  
Except for Marik's sister.  
  
//Pharaoh... Can you feel it?//  
  
//Indeed I can. Do you recognize the other person?//  
  
//It's the little one's sister. ...we should probably do something about that. Despite what it might appear, they're very close, and she _does_ have one of the Items//  
  
//...how did she come to be in possession of one of them?//  
  
//I have no idea. Thought they were supposed to be in possession of the Hunter...//  
  
We looked at each other. This could get complicated... What to do with the mortals? If we both left they would be defenseless...  
  
"But, we already know where he is... There should be no danger to them while we know that"  
  
"I agree. But do you really want to leave them, even despite that?"  
  
I could see from the corner of my eyes how the attention of all the mortals had turned to me and the Pharaoh. It must seem weird for them... Starting to speak aloud in the middle of a conversation...  
  
"You have a point there. But what must be done, must be done. We should be able to do this"  
  
He glanced at Yugi. Perhaps they were speaking in their minds? No, it didn't seem like it. And he wasn't as stupid as to tell his human what was really going on...  
  
Was he?  
  
"Let's go. Yugi, Jounouchi, you stay here. You too, Ryou. We'll be back as soon as we can"  
  
I could see their confusion, I could sense it... It was so thick it covered the whole room. The only one who wasn't radiating it was...Marik. How very enticing... He just looked on passively, waiting for someone to tell him what was going on. And if it didn't happen, he would be fine with it... At least for now. I smiled.  
  
//You stay here too. Make sure that they don't do anything stupid. Feel free to create chaos, though, would love that//  
  
/You know, that sounds very alluring... Sure you won't be gone for long?/  
  
//In fact I am. Just wait patiently, dear...//  
  
He nodded, scowling a bit at the 'dear' part. He didn't like it? So interesting...  
  
I walked off, followed closely by the Pharaoh. He was scowling, too, didn't like following someone? Well, he had every chance to go first if he wanted to... It's not like I was the one slowing us down.  
  
//You know, we might want to be a bit quicker about this, there's no way to tell what will happen if we wait too long//  
  
He nodded at me, and we took off, towards the source of this disturbance. The Hunter... It had been so long... How would this meeting go? However it went, it would certainly be amusing. I couldn't help grinning again.  
  
---Bakura POV---  
  
Damn that priest... Couldn't he be at least a bit less annoying?!  
  
After I had left his place I had drifted around, feeding on several persons, just taking in the new world. I didn't want to think. It was all so complicated... Why couldn't this be a mere case of kill-and-be-done-with- it?  
  
Right now I was nearing Yugi's place. There was no point in avoiding this any longer, was there... I had to do it sometimes, I couldn't stay out of it. I was part of the prophecy after all, as a carrier of an Item and a vampire who had lived for thousands of years... Life wasn't easy sometimes, if you could call this a life.  
  
It wasn't until I had stood across the street from Yugi's house for five minutes when I noticed it. I couldn't feel the Pharaoh's and the Guardian's presence here... Had they gone somewhere else?  
  
Suddenly worried, I went in. I was no trick at all to get in past the locked door... Did they really think something like that could hold anyone? So simple... I walked with silent feet, peeking in the rooms as I went, searching for the others. They had to be somewhere here... The humans, at least, the other two... Well, they couldn't hide their presence from me, so they had to be somewhere else.  
  
It wasn't long until I found the humans, all in one room, one more of them than I had expected to find... But that was all right, probably. As long as that one didn't hurt _my_ human. Which he didn't seem like doing, in fact he was yelling at the dark-skinned one, who was calmly ignoring him.  
  
What a situation I had walked in on... Ryou was looking from farther away as Yugi tried to keep that golden-haired one away from the Guardian's human... What had happened here? I leaned on the doorframe, raising an eyebrow. How entertaining...  
  
But this really wasn't what I had come here for. I wondered how long it would take them to notice I was here. They hadn't, yet, their attention was on the little scene...  
  
"Jounouchi-kun... You really can't blame Marik-kun for what happened! Please, calm down...!"  
  
"Why the heck should I calm down?! _He_ was the one who started it, he should at least apologize!"  
  
Marik kept reading his book, not even batting an eye at the shouting. Ryou desperately tried to keep a suffering smile on his face, and that's when he finally noticed me... His eyes widened a bit at that, but then his smile became genuine, if a bit shy.  
  
"I didn't notice when you arrived..."  
  
"Neither did anyone else, by the looks of it"  
  
The others looked up from their little scene at the sound of my voice. Great to see that I still could have that impact on people, despite everything that had happened lately.  
  
"Now, where are the Pharaoh and that pesky Guardian?"  
  
"Oh... They left in a hurry some time ago. Don't know why, they didn't explain themselves at all"  
  
Left in a hurry and didn't explain? They wouldn't do that...except if it had something to do with...the Hunter... I hadn't really paid attention to my senses lately, had just been going with the events. Now I opened up and searched for a particular disturbance...  
  
Oh yes. There was definitely something there, something very important.  
  
I dashed off so fast it would have looked like I disappeared to the humans. As I went, I called one last thing to Ryou.  
  
//Stay with the others. I'll be right back//  
  
How _dare_ they leave me behind on something as important as this?!  
  
---Yami POV---  
  
It didn't take us long to arrive to the house where the Hunter and that Isis girl were in... Which was a good thing, the Hunter wasn't exactly known for his patience. Despite having to wait for the battle between us for so long, he really wasn't a patient person, most of the time.  
  
I and the Guardian walked in on the scene, my heart pounding with the excitement of the situation. Finally something was happening... Perhaps we could get through this, to make it come to an end... We wouldn't have to worry so much anymore.  
  
The Hunter was walking towards the woman, and she was standing behind a table, warily eyeing the advancing person, but not giving in to the obvious urge to escape. She must have been very brave to do that, or at least very determined.  
  
"You had better leave now, Shadi..."  
  
He turned around. It didn't seem like he was surprised to see us... Then again, he did have the same general abilities we had, he wasn't so very different from us in that aspect. Just in what he did, in the way he sustained himself... But that difference was a part of the reason this was happening wasn't it? That he had been made into one such as he was now... It was all because of the Items, and because of the Items we were in this mess now.  
  
"No, _you_ had better leave. It isn't your business what I do here"  
  
"Oh, but it is... You know, that woman is _my_ human's sister. If she gets hurt, my precious one will hurt as well... That makes it our business. Or at least mine, wouldn't know about the Pharaoh"  
  
I sighed. Did he always have to be so definite about everything... Saying something like that to an enemy... it was just weird.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
It seemed that the woman's calm exterior was cracking a bit, an edge of hysteria was coming through. Which was understandable, it wasn't every day you got into a situation like this... Two vampires and the Hunter coming to you... But then again, she didn't know, did she? She could only see three men in this room with her, and perhaps feel that something wasn't quite right... But there was no way she would actually know what we were.  
  
"Oh, stay calm, my little human's sister. We'll take care of this, couldn't allow my precious one to get hurt... And I told you to be careful, you know, you should have listened to me"  
  
It didn't seem like she was much soothed by what the Guardian said to her. If they had met before as seemed to be the case, it was probably justified. He didn't exactly seem like the most trustworthy person with that mad gleam in his eyes...  
  
"Oh, with the ancient artifact? How is it that it's so important...? We haven't been able to ascertain its meaning, although I and my colleagues have been on this case for a year already"  
  
...how very charming. I could have done without a remainder of being so ancient these days.  
  
Shadi was looking impassively at the woman, if I knew him at all he had just received a piece of information that changed something in the way he looked at things.  
  
"Are you claiming you know nothing? Fool... You must know _something_, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to hide its presence from me! Please give up and turn it over. You have no claim on it"  
  
Isis turned her emotionless gaze to the Hunter.  
  
"I cannot give it to you, it's the property of the museum"  
  
Something unreadable flickered over the Hunter's face, gone as soon as it appeared. This was getting old... There was no way this thing could be solved by talking alone.  
  
I took a deep breath and concentrated. It had been so long since I last had done this... I reached into the Puzzle, searching for the power I knew lay dormant within it. It didn't take me long to find it, hidden at the very core of the maze that would make the weak minds get lost, leaving the empty bodies of the would-be power-users behind.  
  
I could faintly see the Guardian turning to look at me, a very startled expression on his face, and then I released that power, aiming for the Hunter standing so very close to us...  
  
The light was bright, it hurt my eyes, and I could feel my skin prickling under the unexpected source of magical energy, so very like the sun that I hadn't seen since those days in Egypt.  
  
And then it was gone... When I could see, I expected the Hunter to be gone, or at least dead. What I saw surprised me greatly.  
  
He was still standing there, unhurt, holding out the Scales. Staring at me with those cold blue eyes of his.  
  
"I told you, didn't I... That we would gain power, but that I would be the strongest one of us when we met again. You have no way to win against me"  
  
I could only stare at him. What had he done to the energy I had blasted him with? That same amount of energy had killed his predecessor...  
  
"You stupid little pharaoh, don't just stand there, move!!"  
  
The Guardian grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the woman.  
  
"The Tauk... Where is it?"  
  
She looked at him, obviously not wanting to say anything. He sighed and took a firmer grip of the Rod. The drawers suddenly flew open, the items in them slamming against their sides from the force of it.  
  
And there it was... The elegant form of the Tauk, laying just there, in the top drawer....the one closest to the Hunter. It didn't take him long to realize it was there, and that resulted in both the Guardian and the Hunter lunging for it.  
  
I could only stare... What a sight. Neither of them were usually the kind of people who would do something like that, but I guess that desperate times call for desperate measures... Like losing your dignity over something like that.  
  
I couldn't see at first which one of the two managed to get the Item first, but it soon became clear when the Guardian took a threatening pose and hissed audibly enough for it to carry to me and Isis.  
  
"Give it to me...! You thief, always meddling in others' business!"  
  
The Hunter merely raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh really... I think you have it wrong"  
  
With that, he was gone... Simply gone. So he had some other powers than the ones of the Items, too? We knew so little of the Hunter and his kind... It took me a while to realize I couldn't even feel his presence anymore, only a foreshadowing of doom. He must have hidden himself somehow.  
  
But he would show up... When he was ready... This had to come to an end soon, there was no other choice for any of us.  
  
"Now... If either of you would please kindly explain to me what this was all about..."  
  
I sighed and turned my attention to the dark-skinned woman.  
  
"...It's a long story. Don't ask"  
  
The Guardian started laughing.  
  
---  
  
AN: Oi... This chapter is probably full of mistakes... x__X But anyway... 26 chapters down, about 5 more to go. Please review? 


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